Our verdict

Marketed as ASICS' most advanced tennis shoe yet, we can attest that the Court FF 3 lives up to that claim! As our playtests and lab results show, it is a highly stable, locked-in shoe that is perfect for aggressive players who dash from end-to-end to secure points. Not to mention that the Court FF 3 will outlast many other tennis shoes out there in durability!

Pros

  • Top-notch abrasion resistance
  • Excellent impact protection in the heel
  • Responsive and propelling cushioning
  • Unmatched foot containment
  • Exceptionally stable platform
  • Fantastic grip and sliding
  • Very comfortable in-shoe feel

Cons

  • Lacks breathability
  • Not for wide feet
  • High price

Audience verdict

85
Good!
  • Top 15% most popular tennis shoes

Who should buy

As the brand's top-shelf offering, we can't praise the Court FF 3 enough! We believe that it will best suit players who:

  • want a premium-level tennis shoe that scores high on every front
  • are aggressive movers and need a highly stable shoe
  • expect a very secure containment from a bootie-style upper

ASICS Court FF 3 review

Who should NOT buy

The Court FF 3 is one of the priciest tennis shoes on the market. But the good news is that you can get equal quality and performance from a shoe with a cheaper price tag, such as ASICS Gel Resolution 9.

Also, the shoe's one-piece Mono-Sock upper is not for everyone. Particularly not for players with wide feet. These folks can turn to the aforementioned Resolution 9 or the ASICS Gel Challenger 14.

ASICS Court FF 3 lab test

Cushioning

Heel stack

Playtesting the Court FF 3, we thoroughly enjoyed the impact protection it provided on every hard landing. In fact, it turns out to be one of the most well-cushioned tennis shoes in our lab!

Based on our calliper measurement, its heel stack height comes in at 32.2 mm which is among the the thickest we've seen! Undercut only by the Resolution 9 (32.5 mm) and the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour (33.0 mm).

ASICS Court FF 3 Heel stack
Test results
Court FF 3 32.2 mm
Average 29.3 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
25.3 mm
Heel stack
33.0 mm

Forefoot stack

As for the forefoot stack, we found it to be more down-to-earth at 21.8 mm. But there is nothing to complain about here as we experienced a nice balance of court feel and responsive cushioning for explosive launches.

ASICS Court FF 3 Forefoot stack
Test results
Court FF 3 21.8 mm
Average 19.6 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
16.1 mm
Forefoot stack
23.4 mm

Drop

The difference in stack height between the shoe's heel and toes comes at 10.4 mm in the ASICS Court FF 3.

This is a fairly average drop for a tennis shoe which puts the foot in an optimal position for heel landings as well as fast and smooth heel-to-toe transitions.

ASICS Court FF 3 Drop
Test results
Court FF 3 10.4 mm
Average 9.7 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
6.2 mm
Drop
14.7 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

ASICS uses its premium FlyteFoam cushioning in the Court FF 3. It is a dual-density setup with a firmer full-length component and a softer piece under the heel.

Using a durometer, we measured the shoe's primary foam at 31.5 HA which is exactly the same as the average. In our playtest, it felt moderately firm and quite responsive.

ASICS Court FF 3 Midsole softness

It felt effortless to push off and accelerate to our next shot in the ASICS Court FF 3. We believe that this was in part thanks to the Gel silicone pad under the ball of the foot. It made standing on our toes easy and fun.

Test results
Court FF 3 31.5 HA
Average 28.4 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
17.1 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
34.0 HA

Secondary foam softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

A softer piece of FlyteFoam is added under the heel to reduce the heavy load of hard landings. Based on our durometer measurements, it is 14% softer than the primary foam.

Our landings felt safe and the bounce backs were rather quick.

ASICS Court FF 3 Secondary foam softness
Test results
Court FF 3 27.0 HA
Average 26.2 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.

Insole thickness

As a cherry on top, we've got a plush, well-padded insole. Based on our calliper, it is 5.0 mm thick which is average for a tennis shoe.

ASICS Court FF 3 Insole thickness
Test results
Court FF 3 5.0 mm
Average 5.2 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
3.9 mm
Insole thickness
7.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

ASICS Court FF 3 is true to size (28 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 24 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

Getting the ASICS Court FF 3, be prepared for a pretty snug, one-to-one fit. We have medium-width feet and there was not a lot of toebox space to splay our toes so freely. We measured the widest part of the shoe's toebox at 101.8 mm which is just average for a tennis shoe.

ASICS Court FF 3 Toebox width at the widest part
Test results
Court FF 3 101.8 mm
Average 101.0 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
96.3 mm
Toebox width - widest part
105.0 mm

Toebox width - big toe

However, the tip of the shoe's toebox turned out to be slightly on the narrow side, tapering a little bit more than most shoes. Our calliper showed 74.9 mm in the big toe area.

ASICS Court FF 3 fit

Mix in the no-tongue bootie design and non-stretchable upper material and you get a pretty snug fit. Thus, we recommend that wide footers consider the Resolution 9 instead as it comes in wide.

ASICS Court FF 3 Toebox width at the big toe
Test results
Court FF 3 74.9 mm
Average 76.9 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
74.7 mm
Toebox width - big toe
81.0 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

The ASICS Court FF 3 must be on your radar if you're after exceptional stability in a tennis shoe.

Our ankles felt steady and supported all throughout the game. Be it aggressive lateral slides, crossover steps, or rapid changes of direction, we never felt at risk of rolling or twisting.

You can see how well-contained our ankle is when we try to shift it sideways in the video below.

Torsional rigidity

The core component of the Court FF 3's stability is the brand's proprietary TWISTRUSS system. Made of stiff TPU, it wraps around the shoe's midfoot and creates a very steady carcass.

ASICS Court FF 3 twistruss

We twisted the shoe in our manual test and it turned out to be practically impossible. On a stiffness scale from 1 to 5, we rated this shoe's torsional rigidity with the highest 5.

No matter how dynamic our footwork got, this rigid system offered a very secure hold that successfully prevented any awkward wobbles. We also felt like it added an extra kick and propulsion to our moves, acting like a springboard.

Test results
Court FF 3 5
Average 4.3
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

Our heels and ankles also felt at ease courtesy of the shoe's stiff and supportive heel counter. We felt as though our rearfoot got sucked into the shoe's heel cup and secured inside its structured yet padded confines.

If we have to put a number on it, we rated the shoe's heel counter stiffness with a high score of 4 out of 5.

Test results
Court FF 3 4
Average 3.9
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width - forefoot

Of course, the shoe's stability wouldn't be complete without a wide platform to rely on. And the ASICS Court FF 3 takes good care of that.

We've got extended contact points with the ground in both the forefoot and the heel. Using our calliper, we found that the widest part of the forefoot measures 114.6 mm which is slightly wider than average.

ASICS Court FF 3 Midsole width in the forefoot
Test results
Court FF 3 114.6 mm
Average 111.9 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
105.3 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
117.4 mm

Midsole width - heel

We also measured the distance between the widest points of the shoe's heel. At 93.2 mm, it proved to be wider than average as well.

There is no need to worry about the shoe's softer heel cushioning as it is very well controlled by the wide contact area and the stabilising shank.

ASICS Court FF 3 Midsole width in the heel
Test results
Court FF 3 93.2 mm
Average 89.5 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
82.4 mm
Midsole width - heel
99.7 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

The presence of a shank and a sturdy hard shell upper surely made the Court FF 3 a stiffer shoe. But it's not that much stiffer than the average.

Our approach to measuring the flexibility of a tennis shoe is to bend it to a 90-degree angle while using a force gauge. According to the tool, it took 31.3N to flex the Court FF 3 which is only 5% more than it takes on average.

Our only gripe with this ASICS shoe is that it looks a little funky in a bent position as the upper material bunches up. But it doesn't affect comfort or performance and we would describe it as merely cosmetic.

ASICS Court FF 3 flexibility

Test results
Court FF 3 31.3N
Average 31.3N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
18.8N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
52.0N

Weight

Given the shoe's focus on stability and cushioning, it is not really intended as a lightweight and nimble speedster. Thus, we didn't really expect it to show low numbers on the scale.

ASICS Court FF 3 weight test

At 14.3 oz (406g), it is an ounce heavier than the average tennis shoe. However, it is still in line with its stability counterparts like the ASICS Gel Resolution 9 and the Adidas Barricade.

For a baseline-oriented shoe, we never felt bogged down by the ASICS Court FF 3.

ASICS Court FF 3 Weight
Test results
Court FF 3 14.32 oz (406g)
Average 12.84 oz (364g)
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
10.30 oz (292g)
Weight
14.71 oz (417g)

Breathability

We were excited to see larger ventilation pores on the tongue of the Court FF 3. But do they beat the already breathable Court FF 2?

Unfortunately, no. The third version took a step back on breathability.

This ASICS shoe didn't feel particularly airy during our playtest and didn't show the best results in our breathability test either. Pumping its upper with smoke, none of it passed through the toebox, whereas the mesh tongue showed only a mediocre result.

But because it's not entirely hopeless, we gave it an average rating of 3 out of 5. In our transparency test below, it is very clear that the shoe's tongue plays the lead role in the shoe's breathability game.

But it just can't pull out the whole shoe's ventilation all by itself. The polyurethane hard shell on the upper doesn't leave much breathing room.

ASICS Court FF 3 microscope

Taking a closer look at the shoe's toebox through our microscope, we can see a mesh layer beneath the polyurethane. But it's quite densely woven and doesn't look like it could help the shoe's airflow that much.

ASICS Court FF 3 microscope upper

Test results
Court FF 3 3
Average 3.4
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Toebox durability

Disappointed with the shoe's breathability, we had ZERO doubts about its durability.

The Court FF 3 was built for the most aggressive on-court action, including toe drags and multi-directional slides. Equipped with a Dremel, we challenged the shoe's reinforced toebox for 12 seconds at a 5K RPM speed.

And as you might expect from an elite £170 tennis shoe, this Court FF just laughed at us for this attempt. The tool didn't even go halfway through the hard shell layer! And you can also see how the shoe's protective stripes get even more aggressive and pointy on the inner side of the toebox.

Taking all of this into account, the ASICS Court FF 3 deserves nothing less than the maximum 5 out of 5 for toebox durability!

ASICS Court FF 3 Toebox durability
Test results
Court FF 3 5
Average 3.8
Compared to 31 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Toebox durability
5

Heel padding durability

If only we could say the same about the shoe's inner lining...

The material that covers the shoe's heel counter from the inside is made of a pretty delicate textile. It took as little as 4 seconds of Dremel drilling to leave a visible hole in it.

On a 1-5 durability scale, we had to rate the shoe's heel padding with a lower score of 2. Most likely, it will be one of the first parts to give up over time.

ASICS Court FF 3 Heel padding durability
Test results
Court FF 3 2
Average 3.1
Compared to 31 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel padding durability
5

Outsole hardness

But when it comes to the outsole, we found that its wear resistance is second to none!

First of all, it has a decent level of hardness for a premium tennis shoe. According to our durometer, it has a reading of 85.3 HC which is standard for a tennis shoe.

We always start with this test to make sure that the shoe's rubber is not dangerously soft and, consequently, fragile.

ASICS Court FF 3 Outsole hardness
Test results
Court FF 3 85.3 HC
Average 86.1 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
79.0 HC
Outsole hardness
92.0 HC

Outsole durability

Turning to our trusty Dremel, we couldn't help but turn the speed up to 10K RPM and put the Court FF 3 through its paces. We also drilled for a longer period of 22 seconds to really test the outsole's limits.

And the result was absolutely stunning! First of all, you have to really look for the dent, and secondly, our tread gauge shows that it's as shallow as 0.4 mm!

Taking into account the shoe's 6-month outsole warranty, we can wholeheartedly recommend the ASICS Court FF 3 as one of the most durable tennis shoes!

ASICS Court FF 3 Outsole durability
Test results
Court FF 3 0.4 mm
Average 0.8 mm
Compared to 31 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

We also checked the amount of rubber on the Court FF 3 and our calliper showed 3.3 mm. This is a millimetre thinner than average but we wouldn't be so concerned given how well it stood up to the Dremel.

But if you want that extra millimetre of coverage, try the ASICS Gel Resolution 9 (4.3 mm).

ASICS Court FF 3 Outsole thickness
Test results
Court FF 3 3.3 mm
Average 4.2 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
3.0 mm
Outsole thickness
5.1 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

Elite is the one word to describe the grip on the ASICS Court FF 3. We felt 100% surefooted during the playtest.

ASICS Court FF 3 outsole

In our playtest, the shoe delivered excellent stopping power, slid when we needed it, and was capable of gripping the court at any awkward angle we found our feet in.

Tongue padding

Assessing the in-shoe padding, we found that the tongue is not particularly thick on the Court FF 3. With a calliper measurement of 5.9 mm, it is slightly thinner than average.

We assume that's because ASICS went for a more one-to-one, sock-like experience in this tennis shoe.

ASICS Court FF 3 Tongue padding
Test results
Court FF 3 5.9 mm
Average 7.7 mm
Compared to 33 tennis shoes
Number of shoes
2.5 mm
Tongue padding
13.1 mm

Tongue: gusset type

There is no separate tongue on the ASICS Court FF 3 as it features a one-piece upper called Mono-Sock. We found that it creates a highly secure foot containment and a very intimate feel with the shoe. Having tested dozens of tennis shoes, we can describe it as one of the most secure uppers.

ASICS Court FF 3 Tongue: gusset type

And if you have narrow feet, you might as well make use of the extra eyelet at the top. You can make a runner's knot to further lock down the foot.

ASICS Court FF 3 laces

If, on the other hand, you have wide feet, then putting on the shoe can be a real hassle which requires both hands and a bit of time. So, wide footers might want to consider the Resolution 9 instead as it comes in a wide option and a wider shoe mouth.

Test results
Court FF 3 Bootie

Heel tab

The lack of a finger loop makes it even trickier to get the shoe's Mono-Sock upper on. We recommend using a shoehorn if you don't want to damage the back of the shoe too soon.

ASICS Court FF 3 Heel tab
Test results
Court FF 3 None

Removable insole

The shoe's stock insole is easy to remove in case you want to level up support and comfort with a custom orthotic.

ASICS Court FF 3 Removable insole
Test results
Court FF 3 Yes