Mike has been testing the
ASICS Court FF Novak Clay in recent weeks. In addition to a very nice footbed, the shoe offers excellent lateral support and wear resistance!
Specifications ASICS Court FF Novak Clay:
Brand: ASICS Model: Court FF Novak Clay Weight: 417 grams (size 8.5 = 42)
Intro:
I previously tested the
Solution Speed FF 2 and the
Gel Resolution 8 from ASICS . I also use a Gel Challenger 12 Clay. In that respect, ASICS is a certainty for my feet! The Solution Speed FF 2 is the lightest and fastest shoe of all. At ASICS, the Resolution is the shoe for the player who moves a lot laterally, i.e. for the baseliner. The Challenger is the little brother of the Resolution, but is intended for the same type of player. Now it's the turn of the Court FF Novak Clay!
Fit:
The ASICS Court FF Novak Clay is slightly wider than my favorite Solution Speed FF 2. I have a fairly narrow foot and it is especially noticeable on the forefoot that the Court FF Novak is slightly wider. However, this was solved for me with a slightly thicker sock. What is immediately noticeable is the 'sockfit' construction instead of a regular tongue. This ensures that the shoe really feels one with the feet. It also gives the shoe a very compact feel. It may be a bit more difficult to get into for people with a high instep (I would recommend the Resolution 8), but for me this immediately felt comfortable. In terms of sizing, I am again at size 9.5 = 43.5. This is what I always end up with at ASICS and now it is the same. In that respect, the sizing that we have come to expect from ASICS is very consistent. What also struck me is that the Court FF requires a slightly longer 'break-in' period (time for breaking in the shoes) than the Solution Speed FF 2. I usually put on new tennis shoes for a few hours at work first. to break them in a bit. That was also the case with this shoe.
Speed/agility:
The Court FF Novak Clay is not the fastest shoe of all, but it is certainly not bulky or slow either. It is simply a solid shoe that scores well when it comes to agility and speed, but really excels on other fronts. More about that later. So in terms of speed/manoeuvrability, it is good, but not exceptional. 
Stability:
One of the absolute advantages of the Court FF Novak Clay is its stability. First of all, the sock fit construction provides a nice fit on the instep and around the ankle. This certainly contributes to the support. The PU upper ensures that the (fore)foot is well enclosed. Moreover, this material hardly spreads, if at all. As a result, the shoe will retain virtually the same fit and support of the foot, even after longer use. The sole is slightly raised on the outside of the forefoot. There is also a plastic reinforcement here. This provides good support when pushing off laterally. Then the outsole itself. This has a separate front and rear foot section, but these are spaced less apart than the Solution Speed FF 2. Moreover, both parts are linked together by a so-called Twistruss bridge. This variant of the regular Trusstic from ASICS provides good support without losing sight of the quick turns. All these features together provide a shoe with very nice stability!
Sustainability ASICS Court FF Novak Clay:
Due to Covid and the bad weather I had to do this test in several stages. The shoe has withstood both good and bad weather. The AHAR outsole is extra durable and does not yet show any visible signs of wear. And I have already talked about the upper: the PU upper is very strong and the nose is also extra reinforced. What can also be seen is that the shoe is extra reinforced on the medial side of the shoe around the big toe joint. This wear-resistant PGuard part (see image above) extends extra high. This Court FF shoe can handle even the most extreme sliding (think: Novak Djokovic in splits) where the shoe falls completely flat. Very robust walker!
Comfort/cushioning:
ASICS uses the well-known Gel damper combined with FF (FlyteFoam) in the midsole. The comfort is excellent, without the shoe becoming too soft and unstable. I also liked this mix of comfort in a sturdy jacket with the new Solution Speed. The comfort is therefore well taken care of.
Grip:
I tested this shoe outside on gravel, which is quite a challenge at this time of year. The tracks are quite soft and moist, and the weather conditions vary. This version of the Court FF Novak has a Clay sole, with a deep herringbone profile. This groove is nice and deep without immediately opening up the entire track. The grip was excellent, despite the difficult conditions. I have never lacked grip, even when pushing off strongly to the side.
Bottom line: ASICS Court FF Novak Clay
The Court FF Novak Clay from ASICS may not be the speediest shoe on the market (that's why ASICS has the Solution Speed FF 2), but the shoe scores excellently in all other areas. It is a real all-rounder with excellent lateral stability, a nice 'sock fit' fit, good cushioning and a very durable upper that can definitely handle the better sliding and dragging work. In short: a great modern all-rounder from ASICS!
