What didn't work in Nike's kits for the Roland Garros final?

The final of this year’s Roland Garros between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, which ended with the Spaniard’s victory, has already entered the history books of global tennis. Two generational talents faced off in a match that, for its intensity, duration, and emotional impact, has been compared by many to the legendary 2008 Wimbledon final between Federer and Nadal. That match lasted 4 hours and 48 minutes (extended to 7 hours and 15 due to rain); the one between Sinner and Alcaraz went on for an astonishing 5 hours and 29 minutes. During this marathon, we had the (unfortunate) opportunity to closely observe the players’ kits—yet another confirmation of Nike’s lack of attention to tennis, a sport in which the brand was once an undisputed leader. Alcaraz wore an off-white outfit with dark green stripes outlined in blue, the same one seen in earlier rounds. Sinner, instead, wore a mix of green and blue, alternating between shirt, shorts, and cap.

More is expected from Nike when it comes to two of its top global athletes—this applies to both Alcaraz and Sinner. How is it possible to "waste" such an iconic final to promote the NikeCourt Slam collection with so little impact? More importantly: how is it possible that the outfits worn for 5 hours and 29 minutes in front of millions of viewers have so little aesthetic consistency with the rest of the NikeCourt Slam collection?

The NikeCourt Slam Collection

The setting of Roland Garros was yet another opportunity for Nike to promote its NikeCourt Slam collection, already available since the first week of January 2025—one week before the start of the Australian Open. Yesterday afternoon, sharp-eyed spectators might have noticed a multitude of NikeCourt Heritage hoodies in the stands of Philippe Chatrier: the item that, so far, seems to be the most appreciated in the collection, perhaps due to its versatility. However, this piece has nothing in common, aesthetically speaking, with the match kits worn by Nike’s two flagship tennis athletes, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The NikeCourt collection evokes nostalgia, college and Ivy League aesthetics—yet another sign that this look remains the go-to visual asset in the world of sportswear lifestyle collections. That nostalgia and aesthetic, however, are completely absent in the match kits worn by the two players during the final.

On the contrary, during the awards ceremony, both players wore the same long-sleeved polo shirt with a thick horizontal stripe. Alcaraz had a green version with an off-white stripe across the chest, recalling the colors he wore during the 5.5-hour match; Sinner wore a green polo with a blue stripe. Both shirts featured a contrasting white collar. This shows just how fine the line can be between the outfit of a geography teacher on their first day of substitute teaching and that of a Roland Garros finalist dressed by a global sportswear giant like Nike. Just a few details make the difference: a contrasting collar, long sleeves, a stripe across the torso—design elements that, in some cases, can’t even be used during play due to practical or regulatory reasons (such as long sleeves), but that deviate significantly—perhaps too much—from the match-day version, which ends up lacking identity.

After the look designed by Nike for Naomi Osaka at Roland Garros, and considering the entrance of a brand like Gucci into tennis through its partnership with Jannik Sinner, it’s fair to expect more from a giant like Nike. This is especially true when observing the work done by brands like ASICS—particularly with its recent collaboration with A.P.C.—and On, a brand that, after consolidating its presence in the running world, now (unfortunately for Nike) threatens to become an increasingly credible and relevant competitor in the sportswear scene.