Wilson launches first women's-only tennis shoe

US-based Wilson Sporting Goods, known for manufacturing high-performance sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories, has launched its first tennis shoe built exclusively for women.

The ‘Intrigue’ tennis shoe has been developed in close collaboration with Wilson athlete and tennis player Marta Kostyuk to offer a sneaker to be responsive, comfortable and cope with the demands of the fast-paced game, as well as being stylish.

On the design process with Wilson’s footwear team, Kostyuk said in a statement: "Wilson and I wanted to create something that empowers women to move quicker and be more agile, while still looking sharp; the Intrigue does exactly that.

"This shoe has made my game faster and more relentless, and I hope it helps female athletes everywhere elevate their Tennis game."

The Intrigue's fit stems from a detailed study of women's feet and preferences, explains Wilson, and centres around three key technologies, including ‘UltraShield’ the sports company’s newest engineered mesh with lightweight, breathable comfort, which has been built to withstand the toughest challenges.

The shoes also offer ‘FootFrame’ a dynamic support that allows personalised comfort for all shapes and sizes of play. This fit system integrates with the laces of the shoe to allow for players to adjust the shoes where they need it most. While ‘SwiftStep’ adds a cutting-edge, drop-in sockliner, designed to bring the responsive foam closer to the foot through designing it into the footbed.

Shivam Bhan, senior director of footwear at Wilson, said: "Women's feet are different than the feet of men; our team spent as much time creating a fit that accommodated their feet but also provided the security and confidence when on the court.

"After we developed the last, we designed from the inside out, starting with the materials the most closely touch the feet.”

Gordon Devin, president of Wilson Sportswear, added: "At Wilson, we are committed to empowering the female athlete at every level, especially in the sport of tennis. The game continues to grow and evolve, and we are committed to innovating and delivering the best products for our players to thrive.

"The Intrigue redefines what it means to play fast, and it will undoubtedly give women tennis players the bold advantage they need to dominate on court."

The Intrigue shoe will initially launch in stores and online on Wilson's website in the Dewberry colourway, with pink and navy accents from February 11. Other colourways are expected to be released later in the year. The tennis shoe comes in three versions, the Tour (158 US dollars), Pro (138 US dollars) and Lite (98 US dollars) to cater for “diverse playstyles”.