This year we're aiming at becoming a more complete tennis website and this way you'll have a pleasure of reading here tennis articles. You can find the list on the strap below the logo. Welcome our publicist, Maria (yes, that's the girl on the photo and yes, that's the annual Ostrava Challenger reporter).

With the coming of the new season, most of the players try to change something – the coach, the racquet… or the sponsor. The new fashion, unlike the racquet or the coach, probably won’t have any impact on the players’ game, but it still has impact on the spectators. Because we want the players not only to play some good tennis, but also to look good. So here are the eight most remarkable brand switches of both ATP and WTA tour.

Jelena Jankovic – from ANTA to Fila

Jelena’s partnership with ANTA ended last year, and she joined Fila, already represented by the big names like Kim Clijsters, Svetlana Kuznetsova or Janko Tipsarevic. We could call this a big Fila comeback, and it wouldn’t be surprising if more players joined them with the originality they show in their latest collections. They bet on the famous past with a retro collection inspired by Borg or Vilas outfits, on the funny practice T-shirts and also skin protection (did you know the Fila T-shirts Janko Tipsarevic wears have SPF 30?). Anyways, after sporting the crazy and bright ANTA dresses, Jelena might feel a bit bored by the simple Fila designs. She started off with the Center Court Dress at the Australian open, which still answers her bright color needs. Probably a good move as some of the ANTA designs were a bit over the top. She needs to focus on her tennis more than on her dress now, anyways.

Stanislas Wawrinka – from Lacoste to Yonex

One of the switches that I really like. Lacoste is a brand I’m personally very sensitive about. For me, Lacoste symbolizes classy tennis as much as Wimbledon and Tim Henman do. And there are very few players who can pull out Lacoste designs really well. I don’t want to say that Stan’s tennis lacks class, but I always imagined him in something more dynamic and sporty, and definitely not polo. The Yonex Melbourne Crew tee in black, which he wore at the Australian Open, was just perfect. The graphic on the back did justice to his body and black was a nice change to the red/orange everyone must have been getting tired of. Let’s hope Yonex will keep up with interesting designs like this.

Vera Zvonareva – from K-Swiss to Fila

Fila extends the line of top players, and Vera was next to join them. Some fans noticed that she covered the K-Swiss logos on her clothes at the beginning of the season, and soon after she appeared on the courts wearing Fila Winter Collezione. Not a dramatic change, as K-Swiss was approximately the same style, simple and sporty, but the colors of this collection and the design of the skirt did nothing for Vera. The grey top was too dull and showed sweat marks too much, and the skirt, which was a poor remake of the Adidas Petal Skirt we remember Ana Ivanovic wearing at Wimbledon 2008, didn’t look very good on her. She should definitely opt for brighter colors and more simple skirts.

Vera Zvonareva representing FILA


Photo: tt.tennis-warehouse.com

David Nalbandian – from Yonex to Topper

It seems like one player arrived, other had to go. David Nalbandian appeared at the Australian Open wearing a multi-colored Topper tee instead of the usual Yonex. Not a good sign for David’s career, as Topper is a brand to which players go either at the start or at the end of their careers (another brand tourist Gaston Gaudio started with Topper before Diadora, Lotto and Lacoste, as you can remember if you’re either as old as I am, or as big fashion maniacs). Nothing against Topper, though, this tee was really cheerful and the colors well combined, while still toned down by the simple white shorts and headband. Unfortunately it couldn’t cheer David up in his match against Isner. I bet he saw red instead of blue and green.

Samantha Stosur – from Lacoste to Asics

Another switch that I really like, for the same reasons as Wawrinka’s switch to Yonex. Samantha is for me the true image of a sporty, strong, athletic, active woman – and this doesn’t go well together with Lacoste’s spirit. The elegance and subtlety of players like Gisela Dulko represent this brand much better, while Sam deserved something that would enhance her personality. Asics with their simple and functional designs do that perfectly. Let’s just hope it didn’t bring her bad luck, as her Australian Open campaign wasn’t a successful one.

Feliciano Lopez – from Joma to Wilson

This was a bit surprising. I’ve maybe become too used to Feliciano in Joma (after it took me a long time to become used to Joma after Nike), but it still disappointed me in a way. Even though, let’s face it, Joma should maybe really focus mainly on football because last season’s outfits were mostly terrible – yes, I’m talking mainly about the Australian Open 2011 outfit. But with Wilson’s not-that-creative collections, he will have to pull out his best Deliciano looks to fall into the spotlight (or his best tennis, as another option).

Nadia Petrova – from Ellesse to Fila

Thank Lord of Fashion for this! Nadia was mocked and laughed at for her Ellesse outfits, which was, as she had stated, unfair, because she wasn’t choosing them. Now finally we don’t have to be afraid of another striped catastrophe or too many ruffles. But Nadia’s love for pink still showed in her doubles matches at the Australian Open. Something I would definitely change. Do you have some black outfits in stock, Fila?

John Isner – from Nike to Lacoste

If there is a switch that I really don’t like, it’s John Isner leaving Nike and wearing Lacoste now. The positive side of this is that finally Lacoste found someone who will wear other colors than the classic white. But John Isner in a Lacoste polo, that’s something unreal. With his style of play and his image, the Nike neon yellow suited him much better. But well, we got used to Andy Roddick in Lacoste, we will get used to this lad as well…

John Isner in Lacoste shirt


Photo: australianopen.com

Maria

READ MORE ON TENNIS ALTERNATIVE

Caloundra Tennis Challenger 2012 - tournament preview

Grenoble Women's Challenger 2012 Final Preview: Karolina Pliskova v Kristyna Pliskova

Rancho Santa Fe Women's Challenger 2012 Final Preview: Lauren Davis versus Julia Boserup

Jurgen Zopp wins Kazan Tennis Challenger 2012

Quimper Tennis Challenger 2012 - tournament preview

Maria's corner: New year, new fashion – 2012 brands switches

Dallas Tennis Challenger 2012 - tournament preview

Julia Boserup wins Rancho Santa Fe and Karolina Pliskova wins Grenoble

Cali Women's 100K 2012 Preview

Like us on Facebook!

CLICK HERE FOR LIVESCORES