Heather Watson says the 2025 Australian Open kit is the best she’s ever had. (Photo by Graham … [+]
British tennis player Heather Watson couldn’t be happier with her current style on court, but it’s been an evolution roughly a decade in the making. As the longest-tenured female tennis player on the New Balance roster, Watson has been alongside every step of the brand’s tennis development.
“I was one of the first tennis athletes,” says Watson. “The way they’ve developed, you don’t even realize how many players are telling me they have the best kit out there and asking for a New Balance contact.”
The Boston-based brand has six professional tennis players under contract—they send the product to other tournament-level players—and Watson tells me she felt right at home when she first signed and received her starter bag in 2015 The confidence it gave her, she says, propelled her to win her first title in Hobart. “They were well established with the shoes, but I feel like they were just starting out and getting into tennis at the time,” she says. “Signing with them gave me a lot of confidence that such a big company wanted to back me and support me. I feel very special to be part of this team.”
March 2017 Kit Heather Watson and New Balance sneakers carried clubs with British tennis … [+]
Watson, playing in the doubles draw at the 2025 Australian Open, says the biggest thing about being part of the team is how the brand caters to her options, her tastes and what makes her comfortable. “They are always developing and innovating, and every year we meet with the design team they are so prepared,” she says. “We know the design team by name and they want to know what we think about the shoes, the colors, all the details. It’s great when I give feedback and they listen. They don’t just ask to be kind, they really care.”
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Designers should listen to Watson, who says the camo skirt that’s part of the Australian Open 2025 collection is her favorite item she’s worn in her career. “The color scheme we have now, I love it,” she says. “It’s my favorite collection to date.”
Other favorites include a pink and orange top with a pleated white mesh skirt from the 2017 Indian Wells and Miami tournaments. “It was so beautiful, so girly,” she says. “When I was little, I was a tomboy and now I’m the complete opposite.”
Heather Watson says she is lucky to have a long history with a brand that carries her tennis roster … [+]
She also has a soft spot for her outfit from her 2017 win at Monterey, partly because of the winning memories and because of the orange and white colors.
While Watson began her career leaning towards dresses, she now favors a skirt and top. “I love being able to tuck a skirt in, I think it’s really smart and classy,” she says. “I like the cap sleeve we have now, mostly for the tan lines.”
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As for the shoes, Watson admits she’s not too fond of the love change, but has really taken to the Fresh Foam-X CT Rally after switching from the FuelCell 996. “I absolutely love these,” she says while wearing a pair of green AOs and white. color. “I feel like they’re super light. I don’t want heavy, but they’re not flimsy.” Off the court, she wears the 550 lifestyle shoe, now up to about 10 different colors in her collection.
It’s not all court time for Heather Watson, who says that as she’s matured she’s started to enjoy her time on the … [+]
Being part of a “very exclusive” club of players with the brand has allowed him to develop relationships not only with the designs, but also with other players. Watson recalls a time several years ago when she suggested to New Balance athlete Serana Cirstea that she wear a smaller dress size. Cirstea didn’t have any with her, so Watson ended up giving her some of her own. “We have a really good relationship and we talk about it all the time,” says Watson. “New Balance has really cool athletes and they’re very selective with who they choose. It’s not just about the result, it’s about the person and the look.”
Knowing that New Balance will continue to support her gives her peace of mind. “Sports is up and down and fickle,” says Watson, “so it’s nice to have a brand that sticks with you no matter how you’re doing. They’re not shallow. They’re deeper than that. I want to be with no other company. I hope they know that. And not just for the rest of my career, but for the rest of my life.”
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