Aaron Hope 
Rafael Nadal has officially reached ‘Kobe Bryant’ status. After his fifth victory at Roland Garros, Kobe’s probably hoping he can reach ‘Nadal’ status and grab his fifth ring, but we’re referring to the signature shoe setup. Nadal’s new shoe for next year is the Nike Air Max Courtballistec 3.3, the most advanced tennis sneaker the Swoosh has created. These joints feature Drag-On 2x material to make them stronger for the inevitable sliding, while Max Air and Lunarlon provide superior cushioning atop the XDR outsole. And as for the Mamba reference, the Air Max Courtballistec 3.1 is like Kobe’s Make Sense line, a similar-looking takedown model that’s more affordable. Take a look at both pairs after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for updates in advance of the Spring 2011 release. via CK
