USA tennis sensation Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff has commanded attention with her fighting spirit, athleticism and very own snazzy signature New Balance CG1 tennis shoes.
A pair of kicks that look like something like basketball icon Michael Jordan would wear, this unique silhouette has a raised ankle collar and bold colour blocking. Add Coco’s name into the mix (emblazoned on the tongue) and you have a recipe for success.
Gauff made her professional debut on the WTA tennis tour in 2018, enthralling the masses after beating Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon 2019. Since then, the rising right-handed American star from Delray Beach, Florida who plays with an aggressive game style, made the 2022 final of Roland Garros and represented her country as part of the Billie Jean Cup team.
This year, Coco has had an up-and-down season. She crashed out of Wimbledon at the first hurdle but bounced back with notable WTA tour single title wins in Cincinnati and Washington DC on her favoured hard-court surface. This gave her a boost and fans watched as she went on to dominate the US Open Grand Slam playing with major confidence and a smile on her face. She finished on a year-end high by qualifying at the WTA Finals.
All this success comes down to multiple factors, her do-or-die attitude, fast feet and strategies from a combination of her former primary coach Pere Riba and new consultant coach Brad Gilbert (who previously trained Andy Murray).
In tennis, starting from the ground up is the first step. It’s all about quick and accurate footwork – and a great pair of kicks are key. So, how does the New Balance Coco CG1 tennis shoe weigh up as a high-performance sneaker in the modern game? We put it to the test to see if it lives up to the hype.
What are the stand-out features of the New Balance Coco CG1?
The Energy Arc is a carbon fibre plate within the midsole and is the turbo engine that drives you forward (the plate extends to your forefoot) keeping you on your toes. Coupled with New Balance’s FuelCell foam, this cushions any hard impact shots and dynamically propels you back into play without disconnecting you from the ground. The elastic saddle gore band which spans across the mid-foot does a great job of locking down the foot whilst in full flow.
So, let’s address the three major questions for this playtest.
How does the raised ankle collar feel and work in high-tempo action?
A lot of tennis players will most likely immediately question if the ankle collar will feel too restricted. There was some initial rubbing evident on my inside right ankle, but nothing that sent alarm bells ringing - you can always stick gel pads on if needed. I experimented with the lacing and left out tying up the top eyelet. They felt snug with a cool bit of breathing space.
Is the Coco CG1 too bulky?
At first impressions, the silhouette leaned towards the bulky end of the spectrum. However, as soon as I slipped them on and started moving about, this thought quickly disappeared.
A good couple of hours break-in is recommended, the uppers are slightly stiff to begin with, but for a shoe that weighs in at 475g a pop (UK size 11), they are extremely agile, mould around your foot nicely and go toe-to-toe with any low cut speed-focused shoe.
Does the ventilation breathe through the shoe enough?
So, this is where there is a trade-off. Airflow is average (nothing to complain or rave about in equal measure).
Verdict
High tops are not that commonplace in tennis (more so in the NBA), but have previously struck a chord with Serena Williams and the Flare and Andre Agassi‘s Air Tech Challenge II both from the Nike stable. Let’s not forget Michael Chang’s Reebok Victory Court with its pump-up tongue USP.
These sneakers surprised me as I didn’t expect them to perform as well as they did. I could cut and move in all directions, whilst feeling secure and could have happily stayed on court for an extra hit. Some might find the basketball look a turn-off. The wild tones available may also raise some eyebrows but you can opt for classic white. I personally adored their character. Tennis needs more of this!
To wrap up, New Balance has created a great refresh where the brand has thought outside the tennis shoe box. This sneaker will cause a high-tempo storm on your local courts and provide a striking street-style statement whilst out and about.
