The ASICS Court FF Novak 3 tested by Mike. This shoe offers a wonderful combination of speed and stability, combined with very nice cushioning and a mono-sock that encloses the instep and ankle!

Intro:

The Court FF Novak 3 is Novak Djokovic's new shoe. This shoe has been developed down to the last detail in consultation with Novak Djokovic. Last year I had the opportunity to interview René from ASICS: the man who, together with Novak, spent many hours on the court fine-tuning this shoe. This review includes a comparison with the previous version, as well as a comparison with the other silos (Baseliner - Gel Resolution and All Courter - Solution Speed ​​FF). ASICS has a fairly clear segmentation for tennis shoes. For lateral movement (baseliner) in particular, ASICS has the Gel Resolution 9 and take down Gel Challenger 13. Shoes with maximum lateral support. For the player who covers the entire field and thus makes more forward movements (the All Court player), there is the Solution Speed ​​FF 2 or its brother the Solution Swift FF. These shoes are clearly faster and more agile and have an outsole made up of 2 parts, where the outsole of the Gel Resolution and Challenger 1 is a 'platform'. If you are looking for the best possible mix of both, then this Court FF 3 may be your ideal shoe!

Fit:

Just like the previous version, this shoe is a bit wider in the forefoot than my favorite ASICS shoe, the Solution Speed ​​FF 2. However, the shoe feels slightly more compact, especially around the ankle and on the instep. To make the shoe fit my forefoot a little better, I added a thin padding sole: a world of difference for me. Now the playtest could begin...

Speed/agility:

Personally, I think the Court FF 3 Novak is faster than its predecessor : the shoe feels a little less cumbersome, to say the least. The upper is more refined and does not 'buckle' as much as its predecessor. The mono-sock encloses the ankle and instep well, allowing you to push off explosively easily and confidently. In terms of speed and agility, a good improvement as far as I'm concerned. However, if you are mainly looking for speed, be sure to check out our review of the ASICS Solution Speed ​​FF 2 .

Stability:

This Court FF 3 really excels in this category! The shoe is very solid without feeling too heavy and stiff. The Trusttic midfoot bridge of this shoe is made up of 2 parts and is therefore called Twistruss. This runs all the way to the outside of the forefoot and this is clearly noticeable when pushing off laterally. This is very direct without too much energy loss. I tested this shoe several times indoors on carpet. There is no sliding involved. But I can imagine that sliding sideways to the ball is controlled and confident. Another nice bonus is that the sole is also flexible. So if you want to do full splits like Djokovic, this is also possible ;)

Abrasion resistance and grip ASICS Court FF Novak 3:

The Court FF 3 Novak is a robust shoe, from outsole to upper. When on carpet, the toe of the shoe always has to endure something, as does the outsole. These have held up extremely well. Because this is an all-court sole, it is particularly suitable for hard courts and indoors. Outside on gravel, this shoe lacks some grip, but that is also what the Clay variant is for. Judging from the hours I was able to spend indoors on this shoe, the wear resistance looks excellent. The forefoot is completely wrapped in PU, which makes the upper not only very durable, but also dimensionally stable. The advantage is that you always have great forefoot support. I definitely thought this was worth mentioning.

Comfort/cushioning:

It is clearly noticeable that the Court FF Novak 3 is a premium tennis shoe. Nothing has been left to chance with this shoe, including the comfort and cushioning! The footbed is fantastic, actually even nicer than that of my favorite Solution Speed ​​FF 2. With the Court FF 3 you are (instinctively) a bit higher, because there is more material in the midsole. The Solution Speed ​​FF 2 gives you a more 'low-to-the-ground feeling' for more speed and agility, but it does feel a bit flatter. The Court FF 3 is truly fantastic in terms of comfort! The mono-sock that encloses the instep and ankle also certainly contributes to this.

ASICS Court FF Novak 3 bottom line:

Are you looking for a shoe that offers the best combination of speed, support and comfort? Then this ASICS Court FF 3 Novak is highly recommended. The shoe is slightly wider in the forefoot than the Solution Speed ​​FF 2 or the Gel Challenger and in terms of forefoot fit it is more in line with the Gel Resolution. However, if it suits your foot type, I don't think there is currently a better all-round tennis shoe on the market than the Court FF 3.