Mizuno Updates Tennis Footwear With New Running Technology

Mizuno has rebuilt its new Wave Exceed Tour 5 AC on-court tennis sneaker. And the Tokyo-based company borrowed new materials from the brand’s running shoes to make it happen.

In Mizuno’s flagship on-court tennis sneaker, launching new on April 8, a bevy of fresh technologies update the fit and feel of the Wave line. New for the Tour 5 model is Mizuno’s proprietary Enerzy foam, introduced in running in 2021, a more flexible upper and a bootie construction. The Mizuno Wave plate returns to the silhouette.

The Enerzy foam makes an appearance in the midsole at the forefoot and throughout the sockliner. The foam is designed to increase both softness and energy rebound—two traits often at odds in footwear cushioning—and helped to update Mizuno’s running line last year. This is the first use of the foam in tennis, designed to offer quicker turns, starts and stops while improving energy return.

Dave Dorsey, Mizuno tennis sales manager, says the Wave Exceed Tour 5 has a great mix of new technologies and proven mainstays.

The Enerzy material couples with the Mizuno Wave technology, also born in running and seen in previous tennis models. A plate that uniformly disperses shock throughout the sole, aiding cushioning, stability and efficient energy transfer for quicker on-court movement, the Wave technology also increases ankle stability and shock redistribution, according to Mizuno.

A new U4icX insole board was designed for the Wave Exceed Tour 5, Dorsey says, to deliver a “more comfortable and cushioned ride with higher rebound.” The board works in conjunction with the Enerzy material in the midsole and the Wave plate to “provide incredible step-in comfort with a professional level of stability and energy return,” he says.

The outsole comes with a six-month warranty.

With all this underfoot technology, the new Wave Exceed Tour 5 also brings a fresh perspective to the upper with a softer and more flexible 3D-Solid material using a combination, Dorsey says, of circles and bridges that elevate the flexibility and comfort without sacrificing stability or durability. “It allows us,” he says, “to make a lightweight and very comfortable shoe for the advanced and frequent player.”

A bootie construction merges with the new upper for an updated fit.

The aesthetic of the Tour 5 starts off in spring and summer with two main colorways. The Earth Gym, white with earthy, bright color stripes akin to a gym floor, were already revealed by the brand at the Australian Open. The Revelation design, a navy, lime, purple and coral colorway, will hit the clay at the French Open. Additional colorways will launch throughout the year.

Mizuno will also release a Wave Exceed Light in late May that cuts back on some of the technology embedded in the shoe while stripping away weight.