Nike Court Dri-FIT Advantage Rafa 7 Inch Shorts

Space Purple/White

Innovative in every respect, Nike tennis apparel brings out your best with designs created specifically for the sport.

Ever since the Swoosh shook up the world of tennis with their high-energy outfits for Andre Agassi back in the 80s, they’ve had a reputation for bold cuts and bright colours, but that’s only half the story.

In the 90s, alongside Agassi’s flashes of fluorescent neon, there were the subtler designs made for Sampras, with Pete preferring a more traditional look. Where some brands might have chosen one direction or the other, Nike embraced both. It was the right move: the differing tastes of their sponsored athletes set the Swoosh up with a winning formula. With Agassi at one end of the spectrum and Sampras at the other, they were able to cater for all kinds of tennis players, whatever their on-court style.

That dual approach continued through the Nadal and Federer years – Rafa in his sleeveless tops and three-quarter shorts, Roger in his classic polos – and remains an easy way of selecting your Nike tennis clothing today. There’s so much variety on offer, you really can’t go wrong.

Nike’s athlete-first ethos extends to performance as well as looks. Using data from pro players, they tweak their designs to cater for tennis-specific movements, so you always feel free and comfortable on the court. That’s especially true of their women’s clothing. Having worked with icons such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Naomi Osaka over the years, they’re very much in tune with the needs of female players and produce some of the best women’s tennis apparel as a result.

Rafael Nadal, born in 1986 on the island of Mallorca, Spain, is one of tennis's most iconic figures. Nicknamed the "King of Clay," Nadal has dominated clay court competitions, most notably the French Open, which he has won an unprecedented number of times. Known for his intensity, physicality, and never-give-up attitude, Nadal's topspin-heavy game and tenacity make him a formidable opponent on any surface. His playing style, characterised by powerful groundstrokes and remarkable endurance, has earned him multiple Grand Slam titles and a place in the "Big Four" of men's tennis.