Behind the Design: How Centerline Athletics is Built for the Court

When you spend hours on court, what you wear matters. Breathability, movement and moisture management can make the difference between apparel that simply looks the part and apparel that actually performs. That distinction is at the heart of Centerline Athletics, a premium apparel partner of Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International.

Central to Centerline’s approach is a simple philosophy: start with the athlete. Rather than allowing trends to dictate design, the brand considers how players move, what they experience during competition and where apparel can make a meaningful difference.

It is an approach that Centerline Apparel Designer Ffion Appleton Jones has refined over more than 25 years in the sportswear industry, including experience with major global brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma. In a recent interview with Florida Tennis, she shared how that athlete-first mentality influences everything from fabric selection and fit to the smallest functional details.

Performance Starts with the Player

For Appleton Jones, great performance apparel begins well before a garment takes its final shape. Understanding how an athlete will use a product, how the body moves during play and what could potentially interfere with performance all factor into the design process.

That is particularly important in racquet sports, where players are constantly accelerating, changing direction, reaching and reacting. Centerline regularly gathers feedback from athletes to better understand what is working, what is not and what players want from their apparel.

The result is a design philosophy where function leads and aesthetics follow. Centerline’s clean, understated look may be one of the brand’s signatures, but the details behind each piece are intentional.

Built for Heat, Movement and Long Days on Court

For players and teaching professionals spending hours on court, fabric can be just as important as fit.

One example is Centerline’s AirLite™ technology, a lightweight, perforated jersey fabric engineered with moisture management, stretch and comfort in mind. At just 130 grams, the material is designed to remain light and breathable through high-intensity tennis and pickleball play while maintaining a soft feel that transitions comfortably beyond the court.

That versatility is especially valuable for racquet professionals, who may move between lessons, clinics, meetings and events throughout the same day.

It also speaks to a broader priority for Centerline: performance apparel does not have to feel overly technical. Appleton Jones and her team continue to explore materials that combine the natural, premium feel players enjoy in everyday clothing with the moisture management and stretch demanded during competition.

Innovation in the Details

Sometimes the most effective innovations solve the smallest problems.

Centerline’s GripTek® technology was developed around a familiar challenge for many racquet players: sweaty hands. Instead of forcing players to repeatedly reach for a towel between points, GripTek® incorporates specialized areas into shorts where players can quickly dry their hands during play.

It is a relatively simple solution, but one that reflects the larger philosophy behind Centerline’s product development. Apparel should work with the athlete, reducing distractions rather than creating them.

That same intentional design extends across Centerline’s cross-sport lineup, engineered to transition seamlessly between tennis, pickleball, golf and padel. Recognizing that modern athletes rarely stick to just one court, the collection features multi-functional pocketing for varied ball sizes, dynamic 4-way stretch for lateral agility and tailored fits that hold up across different playing styles. The goal remains consistent: eliminate distractions so the player can focus entirely on the game.

Always Looking at What Comes Next

Centerline’s approach to innovation is ongoing. Research, fabric testing, athlete feedback and exposure to emerging textile technologies all contribute to what eventually makes its way into a collection.

For Appleton Jones, that means continually asking how the next garment can perform better than the one before it.

Most recently, Centerline debuted their Airlite™ 2.0 collection, building on the fan-favorite Airlite™ materials with new colors, ultra-breathable materials and refined forward shoulder seams and curved hems for unrestricted movement on  and off the court.

That pursuit of improvement is also what makes Centerline a natural partner for Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International. Across our global portfolio, our professionals spend thousands of hours each year teaching, playing and interacting with guests and members on court. Their apparel needs to look polished, represent our brands well and, most importantly, perform through the demands of the job.

With Centerline, those priorities are built into the design from the beginning.