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“Bad press, good press, at least they’re talking, right?” Those words were spoken by a young Andre Agassi at a press conference in 1990. Thirty years later, the living legend has helped everyone talk again with Nike’s new Challenge Court collection.
From irrecoverable collapses to historic performances, the eight-time Grand Slam champion has always put on an authentic and lively show. His nonconformist attitude ignited the world and his clothing would add a whole new dimension to the sport. As a young rebel in the 90s, the American sparked conversations with his unpredictable demeanor on the pitch and colorful fashion choices.
Now the Agassi-inspired Challenge Court collection has made its New York debut.
Agassi would compete at the US Open in 1990 in a bold mix of neon green, skate-like graphics, and denim, which was very rare in the tennis realm. At the time, Agassi had no Grand Slam to his name, but he was already trampling history with his authentic spirit and style.
“Tennis has never been a choice for me,” Agassi said in an interview with Bleacher report. “It was always something that I had to do. And then at some point, it became the only thing I could do. And I think there was a lot of resentment in that, but there were also a lot of rewards. So there were a lot of contradictions and conflicts and I felt like what I was wearing was something I could choose and take possession of, and I chose to go that anti-establishment path, because of that resentment. “
On the occasion of Challenge Court’s 30th anniversary, Nike and Agassi have once again teamed up to celebrate the iconic collection. Nike helped Agassi, now 50, harness her originality and share it with the world with bold fonts, splashes of color, and even an accidental logo. The Challenge Court logo was inspired by an inkblot mistake, reminiscent of Agassi on a tennis court: a little hectic but a true artist of the trade.
“Bringing back a historical collection from 30 years ago was inspiring, inspiring and really fun,” said Abby Swancutt, NikeCourt design director in an interview with NikeCourt. “We know that the pieces from 30 years ago still resonate today.”
Today’s gamers such as Aryna Sabalenka, Denis Shapovalov, Madison Keys and Felix Auger-Aliassime are bringing back Agassi’s vintage spirit by putting away the all-white hidden look and replacing it with striking neon shades.
“Tighty-white, tucked up, all ironed,” Agassi said in a NikeCourt video. “It just seemed to me that the hell I didn’t want to be with these people!”
The rebellious style of the 90s was a hit with Nike’s current tennis roster.
Petra Kvitova hoped it would help her play as Agassi, while Grigor Dimitrov called it one of her favorite outfits.
With its bright colors, the line is in the face, loud and nostalgic. Agassi remains grounded in the game even long after putting down the rackets and his many fans and players today are eager to continue his style legacy.
