Woodie White has a vision for the future of tennis. Take a moment and picture this: it’s 2:00 PM on a warm summer afternoon—the sun is positioned squarely in the center of the sky. A few wispy clouds appear overhead, stagnated by the season’s thick air. Just a few blocks down, the local park teems with captivated onlookers crowding the end lines of each playing surface, vying for a glimpse at the ensuing on-court action. At the same time, prospective challengers anxiously await in the queue, preparing to test their skills against the tenured neighborhood OGs who refuse to relinquish their status atop the hallowed hierarchy. Sweat methodically drips from the brows of opponents locked in friendly competition, ardently exhaling and grunting in an attempt to tactically best the player 78 feet opposite them.
The energy is palpable yet affectionately inviting, encouraging all those with even an inkling of interest to lace up and step between the lines—don’t worry, the backhand shot takes everyone some time to get down.
This is the egalitarian dream of the Oyster Tennis Club founder: opportunity and accessibility to a sport known for its high barrier to entry.
“I want tennis to start looking more like pick-up basketball,” White emphatically positions during a conversation with Highsnobiety. “Impromptu matches in the park. Maybe you forgot your racket, or you didn’t have any tennis balls on you that day. Even still, there’s somebody there waiting for you, ready with everything needed. All you have to do is just show up and play.”
Since establishing the free, open-invite tennis club in Los Angeles only shortly before the pandemic, the self-describe 20-year beginner and his growing community of “members”—ranging from first-timers to seasoned park pros—have been on a mission to reshape the traditionally haughty narrative surrounding the time-honored lawn sport. White, a native of metropolitan Chicago, grew up influenced by the game, first through spectating his mother playing around the city, then eventually emulating the style of his favorite players seen on tour during the ‘80s and ‘90s (no surprise, the always iconic Andre Agassi made his shortlist). After relocating to LA and establishing Oyster Holdings, a multi-disciplinary brand based around activity and wellness, the enterprising community leader finally picked the racket back up with the intention to bring the game to a larger, more diverse audience across the globe—one slice serve and drop shot at a time.
Resonating with this altruistic ethos, On, the world-renowned sneaker and activewear brand, made a move to align itself with Oyster Tennis for its latest collaboration, platforming White and Co. to help spread the message that tennis is for all people. “Woodie has a unique perspective on the game,” Ruth Heenan, On’s Senior Product Management Lead, notes, discussing the brand’s new doubles partner. “It’s not just about the sport itself, but the community and lifestyle surrounding the whole thing, which greatly influenced how this collaboration ultimately came to life.” Teaming up to produce a special Oyster iteration of On’s staple THE ROGER Clubhouse Pro tennis sneaker (originally designed in partnership with the Swiss tennis legend himself), the spirited pairing discovered a point of convergence that materializes as something brand new while remaining familiar to all respective entities.
As an outright leader in the modern athletic space, On sets itself apart with a unique blend of cutting-edge tech, distinguishable aesthetic, and elevated panache that quickly turns all detractors into diehard devotees. Still, even with the A-list ambassadors and high-profile collaborative efforts tied to the brand, the Swiss-born activewear label is determined to push the state of wellbeing to new heights, pursuing initiatives that tap into the more focused aspects within the broader fitness community. In tandem, White’s Oyster Tennis Club is a unifying monolith built upon the sheer will and desire for connection among like-minded peers. Together, On and Oyster are creating more than just a coveted new tennis shoe; instead, the newly minted pairing reaffirms the idea that, in the end, it is always the people, not the product, that drives everything forward. It’s just a plus that the kicks can take you from the court to the kickback and beyond, symbolizing the progressive ideals touted by both parties.
“I really didn’t want to change the design or fabrication of the original model because then it becomes something else entirely,” White admits. “We just added our specific color scheme, extra lace, and branding. The shoe was already perfect, so we wanted to preserve that.”
A multi-purpose court shoe to its core, the new On x OTC edition of THE ROGER Clubhouse Pro draws inspiration from every facet of tennis culture. The sneaker’s molded insole provides support and comfort for those daring charges to the net. At the same time, the CloudTec outsole offers stability for quick side-to-side cuts as you pepper your opponent with those pinpoint accurate returns. The royal green color blocking on the toebox, tongue, and upper lining is reminiscent of the famed hue synonymous with courts worldwide—be that the meticulously curated grass of Wimbledon or the dyed asphalt at your neighborhood rec center. Decorated with a reflective finish on the heel—perfect for those late-night rallies—and subtle imagery nodding to both brands’ notable identity, On’s latest addition cut out all the gimmicks, keeping the focal point fixed on performance and play—as it always should be.
Merging resources, White and On move one step closer to further democratizing the once-gatekept institution of tennis. In the eyes of the OTC proprietor, though, there is still much more to accomplish. “The main goal is to make tennis an attainable activity, and to do that, we have to strip back the privilege that’s associated with it,” White passionately states. “So at the start, even if it’s not free for me, I’m going to keep showing up to set that example. We want to make an impact rather than just influence.”
Motivated to achieve this admirable objective, the aspirational tennis idealist is steadily working to ensure a clear delineation between true community appeal and customer-motivated pandering, hopefully resulting in a tangible shift in the cultural perspective. And now, with the backing of an industry juggernaut like On, a brand that envisions a similar equitable wellness utopia, it’s all but game, set, match.
Shop the On x Oyster collaboration at on.com.