Ben Shelton within the new The Roger Pro 3 throughout the Australian Open.
On
Ben Shelton began carrying the brand new The Roger Pro 3 tennis footwear publicly throughout January’s Australian Open. But the world No. 6 has been pulling on the footwear for for much longer. As the primary male tennis participant ever signed to an On endorsement deal, Shelton has served because the face of The Roger Pro franchise since he joined the model in 2023, testing prototype footwear alongside the best way. His palms—and toes—have touched the brand new Roger Pro 3 forward of the shoe’s April 21 launch.
“It has been cool to be a part of the process and help On really build a great shoe,” Shelton tells me. “I do think that each iteration of The Roger Pro has been better than the last.”
For the third launch in what was the Switzerland-based model’s first efficiency tennis shoe providing, Edwin Janes, lead product supervisor of On tennis footwear, tells me they needed to double down on pace and agility. To get there, On added a layer of Helion foam within the midsole for a “new level of responsiveness that players will notice on the court.” It’s the identical foam utilized in a few of the model’s efficiency operating fashions, such because the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper, for optimum power return. This is the primary time it’s appeared in tennis. Janes says the Helion works at the side of the carbon fiber Speedboard plate for a recent degree of power return.
The new On The Roger Pro 3 comes sooner and extra sturdy.
On
“The Roger Pro 3 is used by tennis players who want to feel light and fast on the court,” Janes says. “We think the first thing players will notice is a more responsive sensation, and over time, they’ll find that elements designed to improve durability will be reflected in the shoe’s appearance.”
MORE: On Releasing The Roger Pro Fire Performance Tennis Shoe
During design, Roger Federer stays actively concerned. “He always challenges us to create footwear that looks great and improves athletic performance,” Janes says. “He also asks us to make sure athletes are happy and get everything they need from the footwear. Working with athletes like Ben and Iga [Swiatek] means we innovate with their needs in mind.”
Shelton has supplied inspiration that basically shapes The Roger Pro lineup. “He spoke about being explosive and fast on court, not being too high off the ground and changing directions quickly,” Janes says. “All of those insights went right into the brief for the Pro 3. He was the muse from the beginning, and we built the shoe with him in mind as the face of it.”
The third iteration of The Roger Pro lineup has Ben Shelton’s affect throughout it.
On
Since becoming a member of On, Shelton has been testing footwear, actually serving to assist craft every mannequin. “If you look at the back of the 3 by the heel,” Shelton says, “it comes up a little bit higher, a little bit over the ankle bone.” Shelton says preliminary testing confirmed him it was one thing he needed for elevated consolation. His suggestion made the ultimate model.
“I want something light, I want something that feels low like my feet are almost on the ground, to feel stable, able to slide, fly around the court well and at the same time not having to worry about rolling my ankle,” Shelton says about his record of must-haves. “That is where On has made the biggest strides. They made a shoe just as light and fast as before but completely reinforced so it is stable, and I don’t have to worry about rolling my ankle or going hard into a slide. It is a shoe that really protects you and helps you perform.”
At 10 grams lighter than The Roger Pro 2, there’s further updates, even with the lighter package deal. The new diamond outsole sample meant to permit sliding—modified from a herringbone design—is an evolution of the outsole tread from the unique Roger Pro. “The progression is designed to provide dynamic grip and control while also preserving some of the original design DNA from Roger’s first performance tennis shoe with On,” Janes says.
Ben Shelton has labored with prototypes of On efficiency footwear since signing with the model in 2023.
On
Also new is the coated engineered mesh reinforcements on the higher designed for sturdiness and breathability. They characteristic molded reinforcements to guard in opposition to put on. The lace cage additionally obtained an replace.
As On continues to develop its presence in tennis, Shelton says it has been a “cool opportunity” to develop with them. “I was there with the very first tests of the Pro 2 and I still have some of those models at home in my closet,” he says. (*3*)
On needed the design of the Pro 3 to mirror the “essence and spirit that embodies our first performance tennis sneaker,” Janes says. Outside of expertise updates and efforts to make the shoe extra sturdy, he says shoppers will discover small aesthetic adjustments like brand placements.
The On The Roger Pro 3 tennis shoe.
On
Launching April 21 in each a linen and lime and a white and pink colorway for arduous courts, the mannequin additionally gives a clay model, one in black and pink and the opposite in thistle and pink, the featured colour for Roland Garros. All 4 colorways can be found for women and men.
One of Shelton’s favourite components of the method is getting concerned in shoe’s look. “As they become more and more innovative as a footwear company and performance brand I get to see and be around and give input on certain things,” he says. “I think the style, the colorways, whether on court or off court, is the coolest opportunity. To be able to be in some of these meetings and put some of my personal touch on a specific colorway or a certain shoe is really cool.”
