It’s time for another edition of Good Kit/Ugly Kit, where I highlight the fashion disasters and triumphs of the past week. This week, the focus is on the kits seen in Houston at the US Men’s Clay Court Championships. The singles champion was Frances Tiafoe, his 2nd career singles title on the ATP Tour. The doubles champs were Aussies Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson who scored their first career titles as a duo.
GOOD KIT
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?!?!?! I’m a witness to one this week as Frances Tiafoe ditched the crazy Nike kits we’d seen since Australia for this rock solid, deep all-orange number. Yes, I am biased as a lover of the color orange, but this one stands up on its own merits I believe. It’s a great example of less being more, yet not dull like I see with Carlos Alcaraz’s very basic kits. For a week at least, Tiafoe and Nike – good on ya!
UGLY KIT
And THEY’RE BACK. This atrocious Nike combo was worn by Tomas Machac. It’s the same ugliness we’ve seen off and on since Australia and for Fs sake, GO AWAY. Now the shirt by itself or the shorts by themselves with a solid opposite color would be okay. Wearing both of the doodle freak outs up top and down bottom is just a real assault on the eyes. I’m really hoping this kit got thrown in the trash and set on fire before Machac left Houston.
GOOD KIT
This is a K-Swiss kit I believe for Tomas Martin Etcheverry, who completed a great week in Houston by finishing as the runner-up. He was not wearing this particular kit by the end of the rain soaked week, but early on you got to see this gem. I think it’s a good example of how to be “busy” without being overly busy. You’ve got four colors in the shirt, but the fade from top to bottom and the stripes works for me. The shorts are the only way to go when you have a busy top, a nice, simple one color pair of shots. The grey shoes are the icing on the cake to complete my favorite kit of the week.
UGLY KIT
I think this is a Lululemon kit for Jack Sock and much like Sock’s game at this point. it’s ugly AF. Some may appreciate the different look, but the polka dotted shape combo top just isn’t easy on the eyes. The pale yellow shorts also don’t do this kit any favors as the whole thing comes off very dull. When I saw a highlight video of Machac beating Sock in Houston this week, it was one of the worst experiences my eyes have had this year.
Keep following @tennispig for “live” kit reviews from this week’s chosen tournament, the Monte-Carlo Masters! And be sure to keep your eyes open for next week’s full Good Kit/Ugly Kit review of that tournament. May your eyes forever not be plagued by horrific Nike kits.
ATP TOURNAMENT PREVIEWS & PICKS 