RIA Eyewear Redefining Tennis Sunglasses

Forbes

4 days ago

Doubles Hall of Famers Mike and Bob Bryan have been part of RIA Eyewear since 2022.
There's a growing sight on tennis courts: tennis sunglasses. In a sport where sunglasses haven't been customary on the pro tour, RIA Eyewear entered the space five years ago with a tennis-specific lens and frame, steadily building a bridge between the world of tennis and sunglasses.
'Sunglasses used to feel like a compromise,' Bob Bryan, 16-time major doubles champion and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, tells me from Wimbledon, 'either they slipped, fogged up or made it harder to see the ball. RIA changed that. Once players realize they can actually enhance their vision on court without sacrificing comfort or style I think more of them will make the switch.'
Current professional Gaby Dabrowski already has, thanks to a conversation with the Bryan brothers. 'What attracted me to RIA in the first place was the fact the iconic Bryan brothers were wearing their sunglasses,' the Canadian tells me about cold-calling RIA to discuss using the product. 'As a doubles-only player, seeing the best doubles duo of all time in the glasses meant that they felt comfortable playing in them.'
Gaby Dabrowski wearing RIA's Versa frame while playing in Wimbledon 2025.
The tennis-specific nature of RIA isn't a marketing play. Jordan Kemp, RIA Eyewear co-founder, tells me that RIA started by trying to make high-quality protective eyewear with supreme optics for the squash market. The team worked with German-based Zeiss to understand the needs for the racket sport. But when COVID hit, squash play, well, squashed to practically nothing and the outdoor racket sport market took off. 'We took what we learned on how to develop frames and lenses and worked with Zeiss to develop lens technology we thought we could apply to the tennis market,' Kemp says.
The first product launched in 2020 and sold out in two months. 'We wanted to build the tennis products with the right partners, testing with athletes to deliver a product meant for the tennis community,' Kemp says. 'It was literally built from the ground up to be for tennis.'
That means the frame designs have sport functionality, so they don't move and sit on the face properly. For the lenses, the brand's proprietary Court HD+ lens technology is designed to enhance the contrast of the yellow ball to help players see the ball sooner. There's also no polarization, which can impact depth perception.
RIA Eyewear partners with Germany's Zeiss to create tennis-specific lenses.
'The lens tech is dialed in specifically for the demands of tennis,' Bryan says. 'Whether it's a sunny day or the light is shifting, RIA's lenses cut down glare and boost contrast so you can really lock on the ball. I've noticed I'm quicker to pick up the ball's trajectory which is a big edge, especially in doubles when everything's happening so fast.'
Kemp says they played with the color science of the spectral curve to suppress blue and green color wavelengths, which allows for yellow contrast. The tint color is a brown-amber lens with a blue mirror on top to help with glare. 'Basically, we are blocking 90% of blue light in the 400 to 420 nanometer range to allow for less stress on the eye,' he says. 'It makes for more comfortable viewing.'
With the lens technology sorted, RIA has focused on building frames. The first product was s shield and then they created the same tint in a dual-lens wrap. As they have built out the portfolio, frames all come with a sporty spin and tennis ready with rubber on the nose and temple pads and spring hinges. RIA now has eight frames after a spring launch of the Versa frame, the first designed to service those with a smaller face shape.
RIA Eyewear sunglasses, worn by the Bryan brothers, are helping redefine sunglasses on tennis ... More courts.
Bryan, a big fan of the Forte for its 'clean, sporty look that works great on court but also feels stylish off it,' says he wears them playing, coaching or just being out in the sun. Part of the allure in working with the brand for a few years is the ability to have input. 'They actually listen,' Bryan says. 'I gave feedback on frame fit and how they sit under a hat or visor, especially during long matches or in heat. Some of those tweaks made it into later versions, which I think made the product even more tennis friendly.'
Kemp says that's part of what keeps RIA focused on tennis, the desire to work with top-level athletes to refine the product. 'It was always important for us to be authentic, building products from the ground up,' he says. 'In order to have that, we wanted athletes to be involved giving feedback and competing at the highest level.' Kemp says that having the Bryan brothers and Dabrowski wearing the product adds immediate credibility but also provides value to RIA when making product decisions.
As RIA continues to evolve through adding new frame styles—they have three new frames in the pipeline—exploring the international market and working with a variety of racket sports, all while adding new partners (Kim Clijsters signed on in 2024), Kemp says they want to build the brand for the tennis market and be an authority in the space.
Specially designed tennis-specific sunglass lenses from RIA Eyewear and Zeiss.
Bryan says he now sees the benefits of sunglasses. 'What stands out most for me is the clarity and comfort,' he says. 'On court, every detail matters, the spin on the ball, the depth, your opponent's body language, and RIA helps me see it all with incredible sharpness. They're lightweight, they stay put and they don't distract me, which is huge in a fast-paced match.' He's eager to share this view with others, saying that players come up all the time asking if the sunglasses help.
'Gaby's one example, but I've had conversations with other pros, juniors, even coaches, and once they try them,' Bryan says. 'Most are surprised by how natural they feel.'
Dabrowski says she appreciates there's no polarization to interfere with depth perception—especially in doubles—while still providing UVA and UVB protection. Having already developed pterygium in her left eye, optometrists have stressed the importance of eye protection when she's in the sun. 'I have also let my coaches borrow my sunglasses,' she says, 'and they love how clear they are able to see the court through the RIA lenses.'
It's an entirely new view in tennis.
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