Definition of the word tennis shoe

The term "tennis shoe" as we know it today did not come into existence until the 1970s. Prior to that, tennis players simply wore traditional leather or canvas sneakers on the court. However, in 1964, Rolf Xöhler, a German carpenter, accidentally invented a new type of sole for tennis shoes. His son, Reinhold Xöhler, recognized the athletic potential of this new sole and began to market it. The newly designed sole, with its unique pattern of radial herringbone blocks, provided greater grip on the grass court surface. This led to the development of the first modern tennis shoe, which was named the "Aztec". The name was chosen for its association with pre-Columbian Mexico, where the herringbone pattern was often seen on traditional textiles and pottery. Initially, Adidas broke away from the traditional white tennis shoe and started producing the Aztec in bright colors, which caused controversy among the tennis establishment. However, leading tennis players like Stan Smith, Rod Laver, and Björn Borg embraced the new shoes and popularized them. Eventually, the Aztec evolved into what we know today as the classic Adidas Stan Smith sneaker, named after the eponymous tennis player. The success of the Stan Smith sparked a trend, and companies like Nike and Fila began to introduce their own tennis shoes. They also used the term "tennis shoe" to distinguish these shoes from regular athletic shoes. Today, the term "tennis shoe" is widely used to describe any type of sneaker that is specifically designed for playing tennis, regardless of the manufacturer.