Adidas one of the largest and well known sports brands has a lot of tennis fans baffled. The kit produced for their sponsored players for the French Open has many asking the question “What were they thinking?”
The Zebra striped ensemble which the Adidas sponsored players are wearing in Paris is certainly a talking point. As the kit does not restrict movement, it comes down to fashion. Players like Ana Ivanovic, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Tomas Berdych are all sponsored by the firm.
Adidas: What Were you Thinking!?
For the spectators at the event, the players dressed in the kit will certainly stand out. The stripey parts of the kit are not good on the eyes for those who have to stand across the net, and for viewers on television. When the players are running on the court or hitting the ball, the movement of the stripes makes it difficult to watch.
Perhaps this was the idea behind it, to dazzle, daze and confuse the opponents, in which case it was a master stroke. Tsonga was asked about the kit after one of his wins. The Frenchman stated that if he didn’t like the outfit he wouldn’t wear it.
A straw poll by this author on social media found that over 70% of those who responded found the kit either “awful” or under the “MY EYES, MY EYES” option. The problem for Adidas is that those who watch a lot of tennis on TV, or those who have eye issues (from wearing glasses upwards) find viewing the players in this kit hard.
It is not the first time a kit sponsor has raised a few eyebrows at Roland Garros. Last year Stan Wawrinka wore what was described at the time as pyjamas, with the Swiss taking the title over the World number one Novak Djokovic.
The Swiss turned this round and dubbed the shorts his “lucky shorts” and even had a bag charm made to look like them for his racquet bag.
This is either a master stroke by Adidas as it gets people talking about the kit and the players wearing it. Or a disaster in the fashion stakes. Only time will tell, as Adidas are already stocking the dresses and tops on the website and in shops. They do say there is no such thing as bad publicity.
I, for one, will not be buying it.
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