The hottest tennis shoes on today's market are the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 sneakers. If Rafa's wearing them, you know they're pretty serious shoes. The price tag is a high one on the 1.3 shoes, and unless you're a really serious tennis player, or have some extra money to spend, you might find the best fit in the 1.1 or 1.2.
Not only do they look like the 1.3 sneaker, but the performance of these is on the same level as them too. They're simply a little older, and prices generally drop as fashion items age.
After wearing the Courtballistec 1.2 sneakers for about a week, I was quite pleased overall. These were firm as far as ankle support goes, yet they were lightweight and I moved around great in them. I had worn the 1.3 the week before this, and I didn't feel much of a difference to be honest.
Unlike the 1.3, the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.2 fits true to your regular shoe size, and comfortably. The break-in period is minimal, and it weighs over 1.5 ounces lighter than the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3.
The tread pattern on these sneakers really makes them adaptable to hard, clay, and grass courts. The flexibility of these is really attractive for those who play competitively, or have the privilege of access to tennis courts with multiple surfaces.
As far as the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.1, the shoe once again provides stability in comfort at a price that is hard to beat. These shoes as you might expect were the easiest to wear down, but they still had quite a bit of life to them. We recommend the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.1 to a more casual player who wants a performance shoe, but won't go through shoes in a month or two.
Like the 1.3 model, the 1.1 runs half a size small, so anyone wearing a size 12 will want to go with 11.5. It sounds strange, but all online reviewers seem to agree about this too. The 1.1 is also the lightest of the bunch, which I didn't mind at all since the ankle support was more than adequate.
In conclusion, if you are a serious player who wants the durability guarantee, the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 is definitely the way to go. However, the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.2 and 1.1 are both quality shoes that most slightly less intense players will have no problems with. The prices mainly reflect the overall durability, so when choosing which shoe is for you, think about how often you will be playing in them to help decide. Comfort and maneuverability in all three shoes were all very similar.