Ben Shelton in the new The Roger Pro 3 during the Australian Open.

On

Ben Shelton started wearing the new The Roger Pro 3 tennis shoes publicly during January’s Australian Open. But the world No. 6 has been pulling on the shoes for much longer. As the first male tennis player ever signed to an On endorsement deal, Shelton has served as the face of The Roger Pro franchise since he joined the brand in 2023, testing prototype shoes along the way. His hands—and feet—have touched the new Roger Pro 3 ahead of the shoe’s April 21 launch.

“It has been cool to be a part of the process and help On really build a great shoe,” Shelton tells me. “I do think that each iteration of The Roger Pro has been better than the last.”

For the third release in what was the Switzerland-based brand’s first performance tennis shoe offering, Edwin Janes, lead product manager of On tennis footwear, tells me they wanted to double down on speed and agility. To get there, On added a layer of Helion foam in the midsole for a “new level of responsiveness that players will notice on the court.” It’s the same foam used in some of the brand’s performance running models, such as the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper, for maximum energy return. This is the first time it’s appeared in tennis. Janes says the Helion works in conjunction with the carbon fiber Speedboard plate for a fresh level of energy return.

“The Roger Pro 3 is used by tennis players who want to feel light and fast on the court,” Janes says. “We think the first thing players will notice is a more responsive sensation, and over time, they’ll find that elements designed to improve durability will be reflected in the shoe’s appearance.”

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During design, Roger Federer remains actively involved. “He always challenges us to create footwear that looks great and improves athletic performance,” Janes says. “He also asks us to make sure athletes are happy and get everything they need from the footwear. Working with athletes like Ben and Iga [Swiatek] means we innovate with their needs in mind.”

Shelton has offered inspiration that really shapes The Roger Pro lineup. “He spoke about being explosive and fast on court, not being too high off the ground and changing directions quickly,” Janes says. “All of those insights went right into the brief for the Pro 3. He was the muse from the beginning, and we built the shoe with him in mind as the face of it.”

Since joining On, Shelton has been testing shoes, really serving to help craft each model. “If you look at the back of the 3 by the heel,” Shelton says, “it comes up a little bit higher, a little bit over the ankle bone.” Shelton says initial testing showed him it was something he wanted for increased comfort. His suggestion made the final version.

“I want something light, I want something that feels low like my feet are almost on the ground, to feel stable, able to slide, fly around the court well and at the same time not having to worry about rolling my ankle,” Shelton says about his list of must-haves. “That is where On has made the biggest strides. They made a shoe just as light and fast as before but completely reinforced so it is stable, and I don’t have to worry about rolling my ankle or going hard into a slide. It is a shoe that really protects you and helps you perform.”

At 10 grams lighter than The Roger Pro 2, there’s additional updates, even with the lighter package. The new diamond outsole pattern meant to allow sliding—changed from a herringbone design—is an evolution of the outsole tread from the original Roger Pro. “The progression is designed to provide dynamic grip and control while also preserving some of the original design DNA from Roger’s first performance tennis shoe with On,” Janes says.

Also new is the coated engineered mesh reinforcements on the upper designed for durability and breathability. They feature molded reinforcements to protect against wear. The lace cage also received an update.

As On continues to grow its presence in tennis, Shelton says it has been a “cool opportunity” to grow with them. “I was there with the very first tests of the Pro 2 and I still have some of those models at home in my closet,” he says. “I think that the shoe has become almost a parallel to myself, more well-rounded. I think at the beginning it was a light shoe, but just not super supportive on the upper. They have reinforced it to a point now it looks like a premium shoe. For me, I am able to grow with the company at the same time I’m trying to grow and perform better each year. I think it is a cool opportunity as On expands as a company, as their tennis department expands.”

On wanted the design of the Pro 3 to reflect the “essence and spirit that embodies our first performance tennis sneaker,” Janes says. Outside of technology updates and efforts to make the shoe more durable, he says consumers will notice small aesthetic changes like logo placements.

Launching April 21 in both a linen and lime and a white and pink colorway for hard courts, the model also offers a clay version, one in black and pink and the other in thistle and pink, the featured color for Roland Garros. All four colorways are available for men and women.

One of Shelton’s favorite parts of the process is getting involved in shoe’s look. “As they become more and more innovative as a footwear company and performance brand I get to see and be around and give input on certain things,” he says. “I think the style, the colorways, whether on court or off court, is the coolest opportunity. To be able to be in some of these meetings and put some of my personal touch on a specific colorway or a certain shoe is really cool.”

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