Zendaya Brought Back Tenniscore - Here Are The Shoes You Need

Zendaya's new movie "Challengers" has made tennis shoes cool again.
Novak Djokovic wears white tennis shoes at Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic wears white tennis shoes at Wimbledon. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone was rightfully excited about the highly anticipated premiere of Dune 2 last month. The film's trio of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Austin Butler rivals the Miami Heat's "big three" of the last decade (except the Dune squad will end up winning far more hardware).

However, I am even giddier to see Challengers when it hits theaters on Friday, April 26: Zendaya, tennis, adidas product placement, and Nelly Furtado's "Maneater" in the trailer. Please, take all of my money.

Sneaker brands will happily oblige to my request. Even better for them, I am not the only one who is going all in on the "tenniscore" fashion style, which Challengers is ushering back into the mainstream.

Every outfit should be built from the bottom up, so we at Sports Illustrated's FanNation Kicks have compiled five essential tennis shoes to compete on any surface.

New Balance Coco CG1

Coco Gauff falls to the court during a tennis match.
Coco Gauff wears the New Balance Coco CG1. / Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports

Why We Love It: Coco Gauff's first signature shoe has been a revelation. It is hard for any performance model to be worn casually, but the New Balance Coco CG1 stands out on and off the court.

How To Buy It: Athletes and fans can shop Gauff's signature apparel and footwear collection on the New Balance website.

ON THE ROGER Pro

Ben Shelton celebrates during a tennis match.
Ben Shelton wears ON tennis shoes. / Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY

Why We Love It: It is hard to miss ON shoes out in the wild. It is becoming increasingly more difficult not to see them on the tennis court. Several of the game's rising stars have begun playing in Roger Federer's signature tennis shoe - the ON THE ROGER Pro.

How To Buy It: Athletes and fans can choose from several colorways of Federer's tennis shoes for $200 in adult sizes on the ON website.

Lacoste AG-LT23 Ultra

Daniil Medvedev reacts during a tennis match.
Daniil Medvedev wears Lacoste tennis shoes. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Why We Love It: Daniil Medvedev rocks the Lacoste AG-LT23 Ultra tennis shoes in various colorways. It should come as no surprise that the brand with synonymous with tennis style has put out one of the most fashionable performance models.

How To Buy It: Athletes and fans can shop Medvedev's signature apparel and footwear collection on the Lacoste website.

Reebok Club C 85 Vintage

Side view of white and green Reebok tennis shoes.
The Reebok Club C 85 vintage. / Reebok

Why We Love It: The Reebok Club C 85 Vintage made a name for itself on the tennis courts in the 1980s. It has since retired from competition and taken on the legendary status of a lifestyle shoe suitable for any occasion.

How To Buy It: Online shoppers can choose from five colorways of the Reebok Club C 85 Vintage for $90 on the Reebok website and Champ's Sports.

adidas Stan Smith

Side view of white and green adidas tennis shoes.
The adidas Stan Smith. / adidas

Why We Love It: This old-school tennis shoe dates back to the 1960s and remains a staple in the sneaker rotation of people all over the world. While the model has been remixed with different versions and colorways, its original style remains the best iteration.

How To Buy It: Online shoppers can choose from a plethora of colorways and styles of the adidas Stan Smith on the adidas website and at Champ's Sports.


Further Reading: Larry David has fully embraced the adidas Stan Smith.


Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.