Djokovic's Deal With Adidas Shaky After Wearing Nike Shoes

ATP Tour player Novak Djokovic's decision Monday to wear Nike shoes during his first-round match has "shaken his five-year-old sponsorship arrangement" with adidas, according to Matt Scott of the Manchester GUARDIAN. Djokovic, who lost his second-round match to Marat Safin today, has "been closely involved in testing a new pair" of shoes adidas will introduce at Wimbledon in '09, but there was "too little time for the company to rush out a shoe for this year." Scott writes while the No. 3-ranked Djokovic covered all Nike branding, Nike "would no doubt consider it an enormous coup, particularly after [ATPer] Andy Murray, who had been wearing Adidas out of choice rather than contractual obligation, announced on Monday that he too was changing to Nike" (Manchester GUARDIAN, 6/25). During today's Safin-Djokovic match, ESPN’s Darren Cahill noted both players were adidas endorsers. Cahill: “All the marketing used to be around Marat. Now it’s all about Djokovic so there’s a little edge there for Marat to put his foot down and say, ‘Hey guys, I’m still around’” (ESPN2, 6/25).

Sharapova Sports Tuxedo- Inspired Outfit At Wimbledon

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour player Maria Sharapova said that she began practicing with the outfit she wore yesterday for her first-round match "seven months ago, just to make sure it would wear well in competition." Sharapova already is "testing threads for the next 1 1/2 years of tournament play" (N.Y. POST, 6/25). Sharapova said of her outfit, which was inspired by a traditional tuxedo, "It’s hard to do things different with white" (AP, 6/25). But ESPN.com's Bonnie Ford writes, "When Sharapova walked out in her cover-up, a cropped, faux-belted jacket, we thought she looked ready to play high-stakes billiards" (ESPN.com, 6/25).

IN STYLE: In Oakland, Art Spander reported "style was bigger than substance ... for a second straight day" yesterday at Wimbledon. ATP player Andy Roddick said of the fashion obsession at the tournament, "I personally don't care. But I think any attention drawn to tennis is good. If that means wearing the Mr. Rogers' sweater [in reference to Roger Federer's Nike cardigan], whatever else you got. So be it." Sharapova: "We have to realize that in this world tennis is sort of small compared to soccer and American football. You're not going to sell as many tennis dresses, so you have to create things that are exciting" (INSIDEBAYAREA.com, 6/24).

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