OK, so according to TW's preview /interview video with the Senior Product Manager for footwear, that exterior decorative looking piece of plastic IS the power rod. Nevermind that the power rods in Adidas's other shoe, the Takumi Sen 8 running shoe, is imbedded into the midsole as an alternative to a torsional shank plate. Instead, for tennis, we have this silly loop of plastic running from the outside of the lateral midfoot of the midsole to the medial heel cup. What could this possibly do that a stiffer and longer heal cup couldn't do? I know athletic footwear marketing is full of snake-oil marketing, but this is especially silly, exactly as if they were marketing sneakers to children or something.
TW video