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Nadal's pirate pants are all the rage in the tennis world
By Sarah Talalay
August 28th, 2005
Winning this year's French Open didn't just propel Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal to superstar status. It also made his signature three-quarter length pirate, or Capri, pants a hot commodity.
Although they haven't become de rigueur on tennis courts these days, tennis stores can't keep the unusual long pants, which Nike makes in white and black, on the shelves.
"I haven't seen anyone wear them, yet we've sold a ton of them," said Heidi Gotchal, apparel buyer for Tennis Warehouse, a California online retailer that has sold more than 400 pairs.
Gotchal said the pants became popular after Nadal wore them at the Nasdaq-100 Open in April.
"I know a lot of people probably passed on them, thinking `They're Capri pants, they're never going to sell,'" Gotchal said.
Jeff Miller, owner of Pro Tennis World in Davie, said he has sold 20 pairs at $50 apiece, but estimated he could have sold 50 if Nike hadn't had them on back order.
"They are definitely a lot more popular than I anticipated," Miller said.
Also popular are the colorful sleeveless shirts Nadal wears, but he isn't the only player driving those sales. ATP players James Blake and Robby Ginepri also wear sleeveless shirts. v
Jorge Ram�n, fashion director of Teen People, said he thinks it's the combination of the 19-year-old Nadal's on-court success, teen idol good looks and charisma that have led to interest in the pants. While Capri pants have been fashionable among women, Ramon said, Nadal has pushed the trend into the sports world.
"Now it's legit because it's a sports uniform," Ramon said. "He is redefining style with bright shirts and long pants. He's really just a dreamboat for young girls, as well as young guys who want to be the next big thing in tennis."
Tennis fashion makes "ripples around the world," Ramon said, pointing to Serena Williams' cat suits and Ivan Lendl's argyle shirts.
"I think we've always kind of pushed the envelope of design and aesthetics in sports," Nike spokesman Nate Tobecksen said of the pants. "It's a bit out of the traditional look."
At Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, a few international players wore the pants this spring.
"Two days after the Nasdaq, kids from Russia showed up in these pants," said Loretto Vella, the academy's director of sales and marketing.
Meanwhile, Vella's husband, Duby Petrovich, 50, the head tennis pro at Boca West Country Club, said he recently ordered himself three pairs, not for the fashion statement, but for the protection from the sun, since he's teaching seven hours a day and already wears a big hat and long sleeves.
"I'm kind of thinking of it more that I can cover up," Petrovich said, chuckling. "And if I can pretend I'm styling, maybe I can get a few brownie points with a few of these kids."
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