UNIQLO just announced the release of the 'Match Wear' collection for their tennis ballers and Global Brand Ambassadors, including
Novak Djokovic,
Kei Nishikori, and men's wheelchair champion,
Shingo Kunieda. Some of these items will be on full display at the US Open beginning next week.
According to the company press release, the match shirt for
Nole features an eagle motif (click the image above for a closer look at the motif on his sleeve) – the national bird of both his native Serbia and of the United States – while eagle wings on the back are a nod to his style on the court. Of course, the 7-time Grand Slammer has had a feathered fashion history. While with adidas, he launched a Falcon-themed collection and
said at the time:
It’s one of my favorite animals, and I think it describes in some ways my personality as well. I play a pretty aggressive game, and I’m very emotional, and I’m kind of connected to that bird. My grandfather used to call me always when I was younger, ‘falcon, falcon’ – doesn’t make any sense in English, but in our language it does.
It may also have something to do with
his love of flying. You can see his full collection
here.
For
Shingo and
Kei, the match wear is designed to look great both on and off the court, featuring red, white, and blue stripes inspired by the American flag, Route 66, blue skies, and the sunset.
Kunieda will sport a V-Neck T-shirt at the US Open, while
Nishikori a polo shirt. All the items are available for purchase at UNIQLO stores and online at
uniqlo.com.
[Photo(s) credit: UNIQLO]
