Nike Tennis apparel for 2011 Australian Open: Sneak preview of Rafael Nadal’s outfit
With the new tennis season coming up and the 2011 Australian Open merely weeks away, Nike Tennis has been hard at work to find the perfect looks for major tennis players sponsored by the sports brand. The players for whom Nike has designed outfits this time round are Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro. These outfits are currently only available for these three players, who have collaborated with Nike to produce them, but will soon be on sale for the general public.
Rafael “Rafa” Nadal
At the beginning of the new year, Rafael Nadal’s game will not be the only thing on fire: the world number one player will be taking on the Australian Open dressed in red. Decked in fiery colours, Nadal will be seeking to set new records with his “Rafa Slam” – what fans are calling the Spaniard’s prospective feat of winning four consecutive majors if he wins the 2011 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Critics and fans will be looking out for the trademark fervour that defines his game, as well as the emblem of fire that will be imprinted on the back of his shirt. Nadal will be stepping out on the court in Melbourne with a scarlet shirt titled the “Fearless Rafa Fuego V-neck”, mellowed down with a light grey lower named the “Fearless Woven Short”.
Both these items are made with Nike’s special Dri-FIT fabric, which is constructed specially to absorb moisture and sweat to reduce discomfort and cool down the player. Janice Lucena, creative director of Nike Tennis, says, “The mesh fabric promotes breathability, creates comfort and pushes moisture out to the face of the fabric.”
This year marks the first time that Rafael Nadal has been victorious at the US Open at Flushing Meadows in Queens, New York. It was a momentous year for him, and the next tournament is equally crucial since he is looking to set a new record by holding all four Grand Slam titles to make a non-calendar-year Grand Slam. The 24-year-old is one of the seven players on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) to win all four Grand Slam titles, and he is also the youngest man to do so.
Although Nadal was wearing all-black at his victory on the courts of Flushing Meadows where he completed the career Grand Slam, he has been known to wear bright colours to many of his matches in the past.
The Spanish player reached his first Masters final in 2005 at Miami, and wore a distinctive sleeveless shirt for the event. Perhaps the most memorable characteristic of the shirt was its bright orange colour. In some of his past matches, Nadal has been the source of both amusement and fashion inspiration; the tennis player has been known to wear hot pink and lime-green shirts for many of his matches.
An instantly distinctive feature of the “Fearless Rafa Fuego V-neck”, besides its colour, is the encircling flame graphic on the back and arm. The design of fire begins on the back of the shirt, and swoops round to encircle the left arm. It is particularly fitting for Rafael Nadal, who is a left-handed player and has delivered many fiery shots to his opponents over the course of his career. In addition to this, the shirt is also relevant to the blazing heat the players are sure to encounter in January at Melbourne Park in Australia.
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