Frances Tiafoe is Leaving Nike Before the Australian Open

Frances Tiafoe is wearing K-Swiss instead of Nike on practice courts.

Frances Tiafoe is testing out new apparel and footwear brands before the 2025 Australian Open. / IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

Several men's tennis players have switched footwear and apparel brands in 2025. When the ATP kicked off the season in Brisbane, the calendar year turned over, marking the end of several sponsorship deals.

Among the players switching brands is American tennis star Frances Tiafoe. The World No.17 started his career with adidas before signing with Nike in May 2016.

Tiafoe wore Nike during his short run at the Brisbane International and spent the last week preparing for the Australia Open in Melbourne.

While Tiafoe continues to wear Nike apparel, he has begun wearing different footwear brands.

Frances Tiafoe will wear the K-Swiss Ultrashort 4 shoe for the upcoming Australian Open. pic.twitter.com/qJjLKlTyzR

— Tim Newcomb (@tdnewcomb) January 6, 2025

Sports reporter Tim Newcomb of Forbes shared a picture of Tiafoe working out in Melbourne while wearing Nike apparel and K-Swiss tennis shoes.

Newcomb wrote the caption, "Frances Tiafoe will wear the K-Swiss Ultrashort 4 shoe for the upcoming Australian Open."

Over the past week, rumors have swirled around Tiafoe's future footwear and apparel sponsor. New Balance, lululemon, and now, K-Swiss have all been named as potential landing spots for the 26-year-old.

If Tiafoe does end up with K-Swiss, it makes a lot of sense for both parties. Tiafoe will join Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev and Chinese tennis star Zheng Zhizhen as the face of the Los Angeles-based brand.

Tiafoe trying K-Swiss shoes?? No chance he is switching from Nike to K-Swiss, right?
(Via Functional Tennis) pic.twitter.com/2OqoOfSdIR

— Philip Fama (@tweener_head) January 5, 2025

Meanwhile, K-Swiss gets a very popular U.S. athlete who brings a much-needed swagger to the sport. Just two months ago, Tiafoe and his girlfriend were rubbing elbows with Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game.

K-Swiss faces an uphill battle in regaining its popularity among athletes and fans in the U.S. If Tiafoe offers his stamp of approval, it could move the needle for the brand in 2025.

The 2025 Australian Open will take place from January 12-26. Fans can expect Tiafoe to wear a brand other than Nike on his feet during the first Grand Slam of the year.

Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

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• New Balance unveils its 2025 Australian Open Collection.