The best tennis brands to serve big looks on the court
From Wilson and Head to Lacoste and Nike, GQ’s edit of the best tennis brands are a major style and performance serve.
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Challengers is not primarily a film about tennis, and yet it can tell us a lot about the style stakes of the ancient sport, including the many tennis brands that serve as shorthand for being taken seriously on the court. Lifelong fan or not, you'll already know that swag is part and parcel of the game — perhaps, like golf, because of the old money connotations that dog it.
From heroes such as Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams to new blood like Jannik Sinner and Emma Raducanu, and even the hotshots on your local court, every tennis enthusiast has an affinity with the clothes, often a particular brand. Some even have their own lines of game (set and match)-ready sneakers and underwear.
From the rackets and the visors to the sunglasses and the shorts, there's a whole world of tennis dressing out there — and not all of it is old money coded, either. Ahead, find our pick of the tennis brands that'll keep you serving as you serve.
What to look out for in tennis clothes
The key to ideal tennis clothing? Breathability, comfort, and fabrics that let you move freely so that you can nail every backhand, forehand, drop shot and topspin presented to you. Stability is also important, so playing in the right tennis shoes with harder, more durable sides and soles is key to perfecting your footwork.
Once you’re kitted out in the right tennis gear, choosing one of the best tennis rackets to suit your game can make or break a match. Rackets come in a range of shapes and styles to cater to beginners to advanced players, with various different string patterns and head sizes to tailor to different playing styles.
Shop GQ’s edit of the best tennis brands…
1/16Uniqlo
- Brand established: 1974, Japan
- Hero product: RF Dry-Ex Polo
- Stockists: Uniqlo stores and online only
Famous for its simple wardrobe staples (with the occasional more hype-y collab – see Kaws, JW Anderson and Jil Sander) it was Uniqlo's HeatTech technology that gave it an extra push into global status. Uniqlo made its name on the tennis clothing scene in 2018 when Roger Federer became the brand's global ambassador in a huge 10-year deal. The Swiss tennis champ now wears Uniqlo across all games, with affordable accessories like the RF Uniqlo cap selling out in just 10 minutes when it re-launched with Uniqlo back in 2020. Uniqlo’s RF range is small and exclusively made with Dry EX fabric for super quick drying when games start to get a little sweaty.
2/16Nike
- Brand established: 1964, US
- Hero product: NikeCourt Zoom Vapor Pro 2
- Stockists: Nike, Mr Porter
Nike first made a name for itself in the track and field world in the late seventies, when Blue Ribbon Sports became Nike Inc. with the infamous ‘Swoosh’. From here, Nike exploded, acquiring various shoe and sports brands including Converse, Umbro, Cole Haan and Canstar Sports. Nike first broke onto the tennis scene in 1973 when it collaborated with Romanian tennis star Ilie Nastase. Later in 1988, at age 18, Andre Agassi signed with Nike, winning his first Wimbledon titles wearing a pair of Nike Air Tech Challenge Huarache in 1992. Nike Tennis is worn by some of the sport’s biggest names: Serena Williams signed with the brand in 2004 and today, Rafael Nadal has his own Nike Rafa range, of which the NikeCourt Zoom Vapor Cage 4 Rafa takes centre stage.
3/16Ralph Lauren
- Brand established: 1967, New York
- Hero product: Wimbledon Cotton Polo
- Stockists: Ralph Lauren, Harrods, Mr Porter
Although Ralph Lauren started life with suave ties, the self-named brand soon turned to menswear with the release of the Polo line. Now, Ralph Lauren Polo is the official outfitter for Wimbledon and has been for an impressive 10 years. It offers a range of off-court spectator styles, adhering to the tournament’s historically strict dress code, as well as stylish-meets-preppy uniforms for Wimbledon officials. Although green and purple were traditionally the statement colours for Wimbledon officials, Ralph Lauren introduced navy into the mix to provide a bigger point of difference between players and officials. If you’re lucky enough to be in the Wimbledon crowd, invest in a pair of Heritage Court Leather trainers for style and comfort as you trek around the All England Lawn Tennis club, or stick with a classic RL polo for peak Wimbles chic.
4/16New Balance
- Brand established: 1906, Boston, USA
- Hero product: Tournament T-shirt
- Stockists: New Balance, Tennis Point
New Balance’s roots are as a running brand, but it has been making moves with the future greats of tennis, like in its collaboration with US superstar Coco Gauff. Big-name partnerships aside, its 696v5 and 796v3 shoes bring that on-trend New Balance silhouette to your court time while keeping things simple and performance-focused on the apparel front. This is a sports brand that loves a collaboration, though, and getting Gauff on the athlete roster means new colourways of some of New Balance’s most iconic shoes.
5/16Castore AMC
- Brand established: 2015, UK
- Hero product: AMC ¼ Zip
- Stockists: Castore, Selfridges,
Set up by two brothers, Castore landed on its feet when tennis pro Andy Murray invested in the brand, becoming a shareholder in 2019 alongside investors such as New Look founder Tom Singh and Net-a-Porter founder Arnaud Massenet. Today, Wimbledon champ Murray has his own line with the brand, named AMC, which he wears exclusively on the court. The Grand Slam champ himself contributes to the design of AMC items, too, with input into the sustainability of garments, using regenerated nylon and recycled yarn. AMC clothing is breathable, super lightweight and designed for easy movement on and off the court. And the line is but one of many ways Castore is making serious waves on the sporting scene. The brand is also the official clothing partner for Mclaren racing and Newcastle United club.
6/16Bidi Badu
- Brand established: 2016
- Hero product: New York Tee
- Stockists: Bidi Badu
Bidi Badu is the hot upstart that’s making noise like a Nick Kyrgios on-court outburst: this is a brand that’s not afraid to drop some colour on your body. Inspired by African lifestyle and promising to bring some magic through its styles, its New York collection is inspired by the TV test card when television wasn’t 24/7, while its Paris polo was worn by athletes at the French Grand Slam to bring those bold, bright looks to your TV screens. It also makes team outfits, so if you’re the kind that likes matching kits for a game of doubles, this bright sports brand has you covered.
7/16Lacoste
- Brand established: 1933, France
- Hero product: Ultra-dry Polo Shirt
- Stockists: Lacoste, Selfridges, Harrods
French tennis champ René Lacoste, the name behind the brand, is the man largely responsible for making polo shirts as famous as they are today. As for the story behind the crocodile logo? In 1923, René’s coach agreed to buy him a crocodile leather suitcase if he won his next game. Unfortunately, Réne lost, but was nicknamed The Crocodile nonetheless. Today, US tennis pro Venus Williams is Lacoste’s latest global ambassador, and divisive Serbian number one Novak Djokovic has his own tennis range with the brand — with his self-named polo shirts featuring his signature printed behind the collar. As you’d expect, Lacoste’s tennis polos are durable, stylish and well made, created using super breathable mesh panels to keep you dry through even the most gruelling of rallies.
8/16Asics
- Brand established: 1949
- Hero product: Court FF 3 Novak
- Stockists: Asics, Sports Direct, Sportsshoes
Asics’ shoe life started with basketball before making its way onto the clay and grass further down the line, and now it most famously puts its footwear on the feet of one Novak Djokovic. The 23-time Grand Slam champion helped Asics finesse its Court FF3 super shoe that helps him slip and slide around the court in such dynamic fashion. Asics’ tennis story transcends shoes for the greats and recently teamed up with athleisure brand (and gym clothes fave) P.E Nation for another 20-piece capsule collection taking Asics’ sporty traditional roots and giving things a more retro feel that riff off both tennis and basketball styling.
9/16Head
- Brand established: 1950, US
- Hero product: Prestige Tennis Racquet
- Stockists: Head, Sweat Band
Howard Head first launched his namesake brand out of a desire to upgrade ski products available at that time. Twenty years in, in the 1970s, the brand moved into creating tennis products, for which it is now best known. Tennis pro Arthur Ashe won the men’s Singles Championship at Wimbledon in 1975 using Head’s first aluminium tennis frame and it wasn’t long before other huge tennis stars were using Head racquets. Today, the brand claims to have “a racquet for every game” with its best tennis racquet ranges including Gravity, Speed, Radical, Extreme and Prestige.
10/16On
- Brand established: 2010, Zürich, Switzerland
- Hero product: The Roger Pro
- Stockists: On Running, End Clothing
While Swiss label On has been making waves in the running world, it’s also had its eyes on the tennis prize, tapping into the expertise of one of its countrymen… who just happens to be pretty useful when it comes to stepping on the grass court. The birth of the Roger has spawned both lifestyle and performance versions, including the Pro that channels Federer’s understated and elegant sense of style while also delivering something that can turn up when it’s time to serve. On’s lightweight apparel that keeps you cool is making its mark too, and is now donned by two-time French Open champion Iga Świątek as well as up-and-coming US talent Ben Shelton.
11/16Wilson
- Brand established: 1913, US
- Hero product: Pro Staff racquet range
- Stockists: Wilson, Sports Direct, Decathlon
Unusually, Wilson Sporting Goods began life as a meatpacking company, with animal by-products used to make tennis racquet strings. Although Wilson also has a range of tennis apparel, it’s better known as one of the best tennis racquet brands in the game, with major pros like Serena Williams and Roger Federer using Wilson Racquets. With five racquet ranges – Clash, Blade, Ultra, Pro Staff and Burn – there’s a racquet for every type of player, but the Pro Staff is arguably the brand’s most famous choice. It’s now in its 14th run, offering tennis players more precision thanks to a denser string bed and a Braid 45 string placement, said to allow breathability for the frame whilst maintaining stability.
12/16Fila
- Brand established: 1911
- Hero product: Pro Tennis Heritage Color Block Polo
- Stockists: Fila, Pro Direct Sport
Fila might conjure up thoughts of Danny Dyer running around Spain doing the business, but it has serious tennis heritage with a pedigree recollecting Björn Borg going toe-to-toe in that tight striped polo against John McEnroe. The polo remains the signature piece in Fila’s collection where that iconic striped Heritage design and block look has worked its way onto garments from top to bottom. It’s also pushing things forward, breaking up the bold prints of the ‘80s with a bigger splash of colour in its solar power line that brings some summer vibes to your time on the court.
13/16Adidas
- Brand established: 1949, Germany
- Hero product: FreeLift T-Shirt
- Stockists: Adidas, Sports Direct, Decathlon
Adi Dassler kickstarted this household sporting brand from his mum’s wash kitchen along with his older brother, Rudolf. However, the brother’s fallout later led to Rudolf setting up rival sports brand Puma in 1949. In fact, rival is something of an understatement – even the town they were born in, Herzogenaurach, was torn. Adidas’ tennis range is tech-driven and primed to streamline your game with features such as larger pockets to hold extra tennis balls and tops made to allow for quick and free movement. The Adidas Melbourne collection has been made with Heat-Ready technology so players stay cool and dry, and also a FreeLift design, which stops tees from riding up during movement. Sustainability is also king when it comes to Adidas products, and its signature Parley Ocean Plastic is one of the key materials used in its tennis range. The Melbourne Tennis “Made To Be Remade” T-Shirt goes one step further, allowing consumers to wear it, then send it back to Adidas who’ll remake it into something new at the end of its life.
14/16Original Penguin
- Brand established: 1955, US
- Hero product: Solid Tennis Shorts
- Stockists: Original Penguin, Sports Direct, John Lewis
The ‘Pete the penguin’ logo was born from a stuffed penguin toy that founder Abbot Pederson bought on a flight. Today, it’s an iconic American logo, found on the brand’s casual clothing range as well as its golf and tennis lines. Penguin produces affordable tennis clothing in its signature colours of white, blue and green as well as a few other unique designs. Though the tennis wear collection is small, it’s a favourite of many tennis enthusiasts. Penguin’s Crew Neck Tennis T-shirt is a simple, moisture-wicking tee that’s perfect for on or off the court.
15/16Lululemon
- Brand established: 1998, Canada
- Hero product: Sweatband Visor
- Stockists: Lululemon, Mr Porter
Luxury activewear brand Lululemon has entered the tennis realm with its first collection of kit merging Lulu’s chic and simple style with industry-leading technical performance. Originally a yoga-centric brand, Lululemon has created a range of court-worthy clothing, prioritising a four-way stretch, advanced wicking and quick-drying fabrics. Colours are loud, inspired by the Palm Springs setting of Indian Wells, and the range is expected to expand even more in coming seasons.
Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic16/16Dunlop
Dunlop began life making rubber tyres, and eventually came to use its knowledge to begin manufacturing rubber tennis balls in 1923. The natural next step was for Dunlop Sports to expand into tennis racquets and other sporting equipment. Golf and tennis are Dunlop’s specialisms, however tennis balls are the brand's go-to. With tennis stars including Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe using Dunlop racquets and balls, the brand has remained a competitor to the likes of Head and Wilson on the court. Today, Dunlop has three racquet ranges; CX (Control), SX (Spin), and FX (Power). One of the newest racquets, the SX 300, is part of the new look SX range and boasts a larger string grid area thanks to wider strings, as well as a Sonic Core which Dunlop says increases rebound and dampens vibrations.
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