I would like to say that adidas once helped me win the French Open. Well, sort of.

While their footwear didn’t literally slide me to a victory on the terre battue, I used their running sneakers to outstanding effect during the one summer I spent in Paris. Taking the five-mile jaunt across the Seine each afternoon, I never once felt uncomfortable, nor did the shoes wear out after six weeks of extensive wear.

Despite this life-saving (or life-giving?) gesture, I had never before used an adidas brand sneaker for tennis; my go-to’s in the past have run the gambit from Yonex to Babolat.

Taking the court with the Barricade 8’s over the last several weeks, I nonetheless had high expectations that this latest edition to the Barricade line (worn by Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray), would allow for a satisfyingly comfortable hour of tennis.

Overall, the pros far outweighed the cons. Cosmetically, the Barricade 8 is the epitome of adidas’ clean, professional aesthetic; a stark departure from my usual fare, a player in a pair of Barricades looks like they’re ready to do some damage on the tennis court.

When it came to function, I was able to run every which way (laterally as well as forward and backwards) for the duration of my test runs. Though standing or leaning on one foot for too long would cause my arch to begin falling, it felt like as if it were a built-in motivator to continue playing, as that was a pain-free experience.

The Long Island, NY courts where I played were as hot as ever during the summer months, yet the Barricade 8 provided a breathable option that didn’t leave my feet feeling overheated by day’s end. Perfectly secure in the shoes, my feet stayed in place and I never came off the court blistered or banged up.

My one major gripe with the Barricade 8 was with its high degree of ankle support. Beyond not letting them roll, they seemed to get in the way on occasion during play, as my ankles would hit into them when I moved side to side. The more I played, however, the more I got used to them, but it is something to keep in mind in a shoe market that tends to favor a lower cut.

Out of a five rating, I would give the Adidas Barricade 8 an above-average 4.5. They are a clean-looking pair of shoes that provide out-of-the box comfort to backyard brawlers and All-England Clubbers alike. To Adidas, I once again say, “Merci beaucoup!”