Finding a perfect fit with Asics

It's Sunday, and you're meeting friends for a casual dinner. What are you going to wear? It's not a big deal because you'll be surrounded by your friends, and there's no need to impress your manager, the CEO or your new crush.

I am guessing you will not choose your sweatpants and instead go with what you're most comfortable in, something you could wear all day long, like your favorite jeans or sweatshirt. It just fits you perfectly. Over time it almost feels like it has been tailored just for you. Let's be honest. You love it and are sad once you realize that your relationship with it might come to an end after years and years.

This is exactly the feeling I get with my Asics shoes. No matter which shoes I test — and trust me I test a lot of pretty awesome tennis shoes in my positon at Tennis Warehouse — in the end, I always discover that I only get this special feeling when wearing Asics shoes.

I started playing tennis when I was 3 years old, or more accurately I was trying to hit flies with my racquet while my parents played tennis. I could watch tennis for hours and hours on TV, and I was lucky enough to be able to watch legends like Sampras, Edberg, Agassi, Becker, Kuerten and my idol Goran Ivanisevic. Asics was not a brand I knew in my early tennis life. My idols on TV mainly wore different brands, and my local sports store didn’t carry Asics tennis shoes. However, it carried a lot of Asics running shoes and you know every tennis player needs a running shoe …

That is how I was introduced to Asics. From the first time I put them on, my Asics running shoes felt super comfortable, and I loved the soft feeling. I wore them for running and between tennis matches. I basically wore them whenever I could, well maybe not on my first date or when I met up with my friends, but other than that why not use the shoes I felt most comfortable in?

^{Left: This is how it all began (1986). Right: Hunting the first flies with the tennis racquet.}

Over the years, I continued to wear Asics shoes and got more involved in running as a sport. Running became part of my weekly routine, and I even attended some races.

Yet, I still never really considered Asics for my tennis shoes. That was until five years ago when I started to work for Tennis Warehouse Europe, where I learned that the GEL Resolution and the Solution Speed are among of the best tennis shoes on the market. Once I tried them, I found the same soft, comfortable feeling I had from my Asics running shoes.

Like with my running shoes, it was love at first wear. I do have other off court shoes, but I do hereby declare the Asics Gel-Solution Speed is my absolute and all-time favorite tennis shoe.

I have yet to try a tennis shoe as comfortable as the Solution Speed 2 and 3. These shoes simply fit my feet perfectly, and I like lightweight, comfortable yet stable shoes that help me to move quickly on the court.

^{Left: 2016 - Gel Solution Speed 2 in black/yellow. Right: 2017 - The Gel Solution Speed 3 in white.}

Now in 2019, I have a dilemma. I still wear the Gel Solution Speed 2 when I play indoors or on hard court and the Solution Speed 3 for my clay court season. The latest update of the Speed Solution series, the Solution Speed FF, is not ideal for me. I have narrow forefoot and the new Solution Speed FF has a wider fit than the older versions. A potential solution lies in the new Asics Court FF 2. I have played in them for 5 hours, and they could turn into my new shoes of choice. I'm just waiting to test them on a clay court.

One thing remains: All these shoes have the same soft and comfortable feeling I discovered 20 years ago with my first Asics running shoes.