Tommy Haas is starting the new year with a new look. The two-time Australian Open semifinalist is changing his stripes and will wear the distinctive five-striped trademark of K-Swiss when the 2008 season opens in Australia. Haas has signed a three-year endorsement deal as a new spokesman for K-Swiss and will wear K-Swiss clothes and apparel on court starting in January.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Basically the contract came together pretty quickly after I heard about it through my agent. I'm very excited about the opportunity to work with K-Swiss," Haas told Tennis Week tonight in an interview from Germany where he's home for the holidays. "Obviously K-Swiss is making a big jump within the last year promoting the brand with a lot of the athletes, like Anna Kournikova, appearing in magazines and television commercials. K-Swiss is known for their shoes, which are very good ones. I got the chance to go down to Rio de Janeiro five or six weeks ago to do a photo shoot for the campaign next year. I got to look at the new K-Swiss stuff for next year, the new technology they're using in their tennis shoes, which is all very exciting stuff so I'm very happy to be a part of it."

The 12th-ranked Haas wore the German brand Limited Sports in recent years; he endorsed Nike prior to his pact with Limited Sports, but said he's been aware of K-Swiss since his junior days.

"I remember seeing K-Swiss as a kid when I was starting my tennis career and am thrilled to be associated with a brand with such a strong heritage," Haas said.  "I am obviously excited about the performance tennis styles but also eager to collaborate on off court opportunities as well."

Haas will appear in the Spring 2008 advertising campaign for the brand. Shot in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the campaign features Haas wearing performance tennis and lifestyle apparel and footwear. The partnership also includes personal appearances for the brand and assistance in the design of future performance collections.  

"They love to get the opinion of the players, which is great," Haas said. "It all came together very quickly so there wasn't a lot of advance time, but I've enjoyed working with them. They're interested in your ideas so if you have a favorite color or the kind of quality of material you like to wear, they try to incorporate that."

The new global K-Swiss advertising campaign, featuring Haas and other K-Swiss athletes, will make its debut in February, 2008.  The campaign will be showcased in television, print, on-line, and outdoor venues.

Though K-Swiss has been involved in tennis for over 40 years, it has stepped up its tennis sponsorship in recent years in signing former adidas endorser Anna Kournikova as well as 21st-ranked Alona Bondarenko. Australian Open women's doubles champions Cara Black (Zimbabwe) and Liezel Huber (South Africa) both wore K-Swiss clothes and shoes while winning the Melbourne major last January. In Haas and Kournikova, K-Swiss now counts two of tennis' most photogenic players in its stable. 

"Tommy is a perfect fit for K-Swiss given our strong classic tennis heritage," Jennifer Weiderman, VP of Marketing for K-Swiss said. "His leadership on the court, style, and passion make him a perfect brand ambassador for K-Swiss.” 

Haas' new K-Swiss wardrobe will include a sleeveless shirt — a tribute to Haas' storied sartorial past.

Five years ago, Haas made Grand Slam history at the 2002 U.S. Open and incited a spontaneous disappearing act in the process.

Haas had nothing up his sleeves when U.S. Open officials made his shirt disappear. Actually, Haas had no sleeves at all; his sleeveless shirt was ruled in violation of the Grand Slam rule requiring "clean and customarily acceptable attire" and U.S. Open officials required Haas to change to a traditional shirt with sleeves before permitting him to play his match.

Haas, who had struggled with a chronic strained shoulder for much of the summer, opted to wear a sleeveless shirt on court. Haas' sleeveless shirt not only started a fashion trend he single-handedly created a rule change.

"To be honest with you, I didn't think it was going to be such a big deal at the time," Haas says. "You look at other sports, such as basketball, and you see them always in sleeveless shirts. I decided one day to wear a sleeveless shirt because it felt right and it was easier to wear and sometimes when I work out in the gym I wear sleeveless. It hadn't been seen in tennis before so I remember before that match I decided to put one on and see what happens not knowing that they were actually going to make me put an actual shirt back on. I didn't think it was such a big deal because it's done in other sports. I guess it did break through though and people in tennis were excited about it and a few months later they accepted the fact we can wear sleeveless shirts."

Complaining a double standard was at work, Haas criticized the clothing rule, which permitted Serena Williams’ skin-tight cat suit as well as Kournikova’s belly-button baring short shirt, yet denied the German the chance to bare his biceps during the 2002 Open.
 
ATP officials heard Haas’ complaints and opted to allow sleeveless shirts in tournament play in 2003 and the Grand Slams soon followed suit. Second-ranked Rafael Nadal and James Blake are among the players who popularized the sleeveless look after Haas' initial biceps-baring shirt started a trend.

"Unfortunately, when they finally accepted sleeveless shirts I was injured and out of the game for about a year," Haas said. "When I came back, I just began wearing it once in a while - not as much anymore - because now there is Nadal or Blake or Ginepri or many other players. To me, it's more like when I feel like when I feel like wearing it it's more in the training time or on the court practicing."

John McEnroe  recently suggested the ATP Tour permit men to play topless tennis as a way to promote the players and potentially increase viewership. Asked his reaction to McEnroe's proposal, Haas laughed and said he wouldn't mind playing shirtless.

"I don't know how that would go to with every person out there to see a bunch of half-naked men play tennis," Haas said with a laugh. "To be realistic, I mean when the sun is shining and we are practicing at Indian Wells or Key Biscayne, I think 70 or 80 percent of the guys never wear a shirt when they are practicing, you know what I mean? We all love sun, we all lovee to get a little tan while we're out there and what better job to get a little sun and a little tan while you're out there hitting tennis balls?. I wouldn't mind it [going shirtless] and I've been training in Florida without a shirt for I don't know how long."