Style Guide: Andrey Rublev helped design his new Roland Garros shoes

PARIS, France—Sporting custom head-to-toe outfits both on and off the court, Andrey Rublev knows a thing or two about tennis fashion—and now he’s stepping up his style game at Roland Garros.

His personal brand, Rublo, was a Style Points staple during its 2023-2024 run. When the Russian signed a multi-year deal with California-based sportswear giant K-Swiss last year, he made sure to retain some creative control over his attire.

Read More: Andrey Rublev leads “reborn” K-Swiss back into its tennis era

As a result, Rublev regularly stands out in unique tennis kits that no one else wears, all personalized with his Rublo logo and personal motto, “Play For The Kids”. And across his first two matches in Paris, he’s also been spotted rocking the new K-Frame Speed Rublo shoe in a fresh light green and black colorway.

Rublev says he worked closely with the brand’s design team and was given free reign to make edits and special requests, as he tested the shoes ahead of their release.

“It was fun,” Rublev told Tennis.com after his first-round win in Paris. “It was good that they kind of give me, how you say, ‘open hands’ to say whatever I like, (ask for) whatever I would like to have in a shoe.

“I explained everything that I would like to see, then they did the design. I said that I really like it, that this is the design I would like to play. Then they made the shoes.”

Our Tennis.com gear expert, Jon Levey, previously gave his hardcourt shoes, the Hypercourt Pinnacle, his own stamp of approval, calling them a “premium high-performance model that meets the demands of the most aggressive movers.” (Click here to read the review.)

“When the biggest gripe is probably a wish for different color options—I'm not crazy about the all-orange or white/pink cosmetics—that’s a pretty good problem to have,” Levey wrote.

According to Rublev, who charged into the third round after defeating Australia’s Adam Walton 7-6 (1), 6-1, 7-6 (5) on Thursday afternoon, the same applies for the new K-Frame Speed:

“This is the first tournament (I’ve worn them). I like them really a lot, feeling-wise and looking-wise,” he said. “For a long time, (they’re) one of my favorite looking shoes.”

The new designs form a key part of K-Swiss’ larger push to reestablish its presence in the tennis market. The brand’s shoes remain a staple of tennis clubs and recreational play, even as its profile has faded from the tour level over the years.

“We needed to create a high-end, innovative shoe that could compete with the biggest names in the industry, especially at the pro-tour level,” K-Swiss footwear designer MJ Kim told Forbes in March.

“The goal was to design a standout product that featured the latest technology, and was worn by a top athlete like Andrey Rublev.”

Rublev, the No. 17 seed, will face No. 14 Arthur Fils on Saturday, after the Frenchman pulled off a marathon five-set victory over Jaume Munar, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 2-6, 0-6, 6-4.