Shelton Shares Experience Of Donning On As Swiatek Awaits Customized Shoes

Saturday, 02 September 2023 at 02:39

byNurein Ahmed

Ben Shelton talked of his positive experience of wearing On's latest collection from head to toe, inspired by Roger Federer's vision.

On is a Swiss sportswear brand that specializes in making all types of sports and recreational apparel and shoes ranging from road and trail running, hiking, and travel clothing, and now its expansion into the world of tennis.

The acquisition of World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and American rising star Ben Shelton has given the company a bumper introduction as it aims to compete with industry leaders such as Nike and Adidas. On is backed by retired legend Roger Federer who joined the company as an entrepreneur to enhance the product development and fan experience to new heights.

Both Shelton and Swiatek have been wearing the On collection gear for months now, with a customized edition of the Roger Pro shoes, which is a competition tennis shoe that was engineered and designed in a joint effort between the two players, Roger Federer and the Lightning innovation team at On Labs.

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Shelton has glided into the US Open third round, donning the customized version of the Roger Pro Shoe. At the 2023 US Open, Shelton admitted the switch from his previous sponsor, New Balance, was purely to cater to his needs as he didn't have a shoe that he took comfort in.

"I think that was something for me, that I knew a lot of the things that I wanted with my shoe. It wasn't too complicated. I think since my career has been shorter and I haven't played as many matches, I've still been growing the last couple years, I didn't really have a shoe that I loved or was comfortable with."

— Ben Shelton shares his experience of wearing On

"Finding a shoe that worked for me, even being able to build a shoe that catered to my needs, it was pretty easy to find something that I liked."

But fellow On brand ambassador Swiatek is still waiting for the subtle details of her design to be implemented which will maximize her movement.

Already earning the tag of the WTA's most athletic and agile player on Tour given her extraordinary movement and sliding skills, Shelton understands why Swiatek's shoe has required tangible specifics before coming up with the final product, something Swiatek explained why she hasn't yet switched from current footwear sponsor Asics.

"When you're winning multiple Grand Slams on different surfaces, competing at the highest level—your movement is your biggest weapon, for someone like Iga."

"I think it would probably be a little bit more difficult than me, who hadn't played before on clay, hadn't played before on grass. The only thing I had to go off of was the On shoe. I think it was a lot easier for me to adjust. But I'm sure that she'll figure it out and be in the shoe soon."