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On Releasing The Roger Pro Fire Performance Tennis Shoe
Roger Federer's presence in tennis continues to grow, thanks to his burgeoning stable of tennis performance and lifestyle shoes from On. Next up: The Roger Pro Fire, launching Aug. 19.
'When we kicked off The Roger Pro Fire, the ambition was to create a shoe that was more rugged and protective in what it provided to high-level players,' Edwin Janes of On tennis product strategy tells me. 'Where The Roger Pro 2 was designed for more all-court play and agility, we focused on dialing up the durability and stability on the Pro Fire for aggressive lateral movements and sliding.'
With that, the new The Roger Pro Fire focuses on protection in the upper, a revamped lacing system and an updated bottom unit that features a new Speedboard propulsion plate.
Janes says that Flavio Cobolli was the first to switch to The Roger Pro Fire, followed by Joao Fonseca—Iga Swiatek and Ben Shelton wear The Roger Pro 2—giving On two distinct performance models on the tour. 'We're always looking to identify gaps in the range,' Janes says. 'The Roger Pro Fire represents an opportunity to deepen our footwear offer in tennis. Roger and the team recognized a gap in the product range: a shoe for the modern-day explosive and aggressive player, one that slides to corners even on hard courts and goes for aggressive cuts.'
MORE: On's The Roger Footwear Line Modernizing And Growing
To build the performance side of The Roger franchise—Janes says expanding the lineup by catering to all styles of tennis athletes was a must—a unique technical feature of The Roger Pro Fire is the bottom unit. The midsole features a softer foam underfoot for shock absorption and cushioning, surrounded by a stiffer foam for stability. The Speedboard plate—not made with carbon fiber like The Roger Pro and The Roger Pro 2—has a unique geometry that extends into the forefoot, engineered to provide support and energy return to the midfoot during lateral movement while still offering flexibility under the toe box, all without compromising stability.
The lacing structure on The Roger Pro Fire is designed to give support and lockdown to the midfoot, Janes says. There's a caging system like The Roger Pro 1 and 2 but updated with laces at the top of the eyestay hidden on the medial (inside) to prevent breaking. Overlays and reinforcements on the medial side of the shoe are designed to stand up to sliding.
'The Roger Pro Fire was made for frequent, high-level, competitive tennis players who need their footwear to play as fast, strong and aggressive as they play,' Janes says. 'Players who favor an attacking baseline style and need a lot of protection with sliding will have a great option in the Pro Fire.'
The Roger Pro Fire now sits alongside The Roger Pro and The Roger Pro 2 as high-level performance models. The Roger Advantage Pro and The Roger Clubhouse Pro offer everyday court-ready shoes, while the franchise includes the lifestyle offerings of The Roger Centre Court, The Roger Advantage, The Roger Clubhouse and The Roger Spin.
Designers wanted to capture the energy and passion of Federer on the latest model, Janes says, so The Roger Pro Fire launches in a bold pink/flame colorway alongside a limited-edition black/pink colorway. 'Roger always challenges us to create footwear that looks great in addition to bringing elite performance,' Janes says, 'and we wanted to honor that with the design of the shoe.'
