Updated 2020: Zero drop tennis shoes differ from zero drop running shoes in terms of their soles make.  Zero drop tennis shoes requires a much tougher sole and a strong side support for lateral tennis movements

Fortunately, they have proven to correct some feet problems for certain folks that they are now being sought after in other sport activities such as tennis. However, there are differences when it comes to running and tennis shoes. You can still of course still use running shoes but get ready for them to be worn out more easily than a real tennis shoe.

My recommendation for you is to find real minimalist tennis shoes. There aren’t many around but they are out there. The aim of this article is to put together a list of such shoes that you can easily reference to without looking all over the place for it.

What minimalist tennis shoes can do for tennis players

Proper minimalist tennis shoes should prevent tennis players from rolling their ankles, which is pretty common given the sudden lateral movements for serious players, A shoe that tits your heel higher up from the ground creates a higher probability of your ankles being rolled when doing fast paced movements.

This is where a minimalist tennis shoe can help. It reduces the distance of your heel from the ground such that your feet are almost griping it. It is not a 100% cure for ankle rolling but it does reduces the chances of it happening. In fact, one of the minimalists tennis shoes brand, Vivo Barefoot, was developed because the founder was a tennis player who wanted a shoe to prevent ankle rolling.

(Editor’s note: This doesn’t apply to folks who just stands at the same location and swings their rackets when the ball is coming straight at them. I personally don’t call this tennis).

Merrell Men zero drop shoes for tennis

The Merrell Bare Access 3 is a light weight shoe with a low heel to toe drop shoe for men.  Due to its one inch sole, it can better withstand the demands of a tennis court, relative to other running shoes.

The good thing about the Bare  Access 3 is that it is cushioned despite having a zero drop. This is great for beginners who are not used to their feet being so close to the ground. The cushioning will make it easier for your feet to grow custom to it.

This shoe is also well ventilated due to the small holes that line up the inner liner of the shoe. Your feet wouldn’t feel so hot on the tennis court and the interior sure wouldn’t stink as much as a completely enclosed shoe.

There are many design options for the Bare Access 3. You can take a look via the link at the top paragraph.

Vivobarefoot women zero drop shoes for tennis

Updated May 2020: The Freud II has been discontinued so I am recommending a great Vivobarefoot alternative – the Primus Lux

The Vivobarefoot Primus Lux is a suitable shoe for anyone with a wide toe box. It has plenty of space in front for your toes to wriggle and breath, making them super comfortable.

Support wise, it offer the usual level of sole support you expect from a zero drop shoes, i.e. not too heavily cushioned.

The leather used is pretty durable and should last you for a while, even when using in abrasive surface like a tennis court.

Overall, it is a good light weight option for any ladies who wants a zero drop tennis shoe that has roomy toe box.

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Another barefoot or minimalist footwear company is Vivobarefoot. It has recently released a classic tennis shoe called the Freud II with low heel to toe drop in the popular Tiffany blue and pink color.  Vivobarefoot was famous for its zero drop running shoes and have ventured out into other sports of which tennis is one such focus.

The design of this shoe with its colors is really the standout feature of this model. Although it claims to be able be used as tennis shoe, I am thinking it is more for casual tennis, rather than a competitive one. Its proprioceptive sole is of course is signature trademark. Couple with a comfortable material, this shoe will feel light, comfortable and super fashionable to wear.

For competitive tennis players, I am not sure how this shoe will handle itself. So far, there is very little review from customers as it is fairly new model. If you have used this for competitive tennis, appreciate any comment or feedback.

New Balance women tennis zero drop shoes

The New Balance WC60 is a new female tennis shoe that incorporates the Minimus technology from its running shoe range. The result is that you can the best of both worlds: A solid and durable tennis shoe that doesn’t have a high heel to ground ratio.

The rubber sole seen on the picture is what will make the shoe more durable than your average running shoe as it can better withstand the harsh surface of tennis courts.

The heel to ground drop is only 4mm so it reduces the ankle rolling that can happen for shoes that non zero drop. Design wise, there are 2 colors to choose from. The blue color scheme featured on the right as well as a darked black and orange-red scheme.

If you are a women tennis player looking for a minimalist tennis shoe, this is one of the rare models available right now.

NikeCourt Flare

Finally, we have the latest from Nike: the NikeCourt Flare II. This was the shoe worn by Serena when she found the Women Tennis tournament this year. If a professional is wearing it, you can be sure it works.

Unlike previous Nike tennis shoes, the NikeCourt Flare is minimalist in design and has been created because of a problem that Serena faced: ankle rolling. Yup, this is the same problem that we have already discussed earlier. To remedy the issue, Nike has made their latest tennis shoe lower so that the heel is planted closer to the ground.

Besides being minimalist in design, it also possess ultra tough sole. What the Nike design team did was to study in depth which part of the shoe was used the most during movements and added additional durability for these areas. In this way, not only is the shoe being strengthed in necessary places, it also didn’t add any extra weight to it.

Speaking of weight, the Nikecourt Flare is ultra light weight. This is possible due to the materials being used for the shoe. In particular, the materials are a mix of mesh, rubber and other ingredients that improve the shoe’s breath ability and weight.

The good news is that the NikeCourt Flare is coming to a store near you. If it proves to be effective, this might be the benchmark that all future Nike tennis shoes will measure to.