Nike enters padel?
Last week, three padel rackets bearing the Nike Swoosh appeared at NOCTA Manor, a private event hosted by Drake at Pendry Natirar in New Jersey. World #1 Agustín Tapia, Juan Lebrón, NBA stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, and Drake himself were all on court.
Nike has made no official statement about entering the sport. The rackets (Command, Attack and Balance) were spotted at a private event. Beyond that, much remains unconfirmed.
Here's what's circulating:
The signing rumor. Tapia is reported to be Nike's primary target as brand ambassador. Tapia himself told media it would be "a dream come true." The complication: he's under contract with racket brand NOX until the end of 2028. Actu Padel describes the signing as "a market hypothesis, not a completed deal."
The hybrid deal rumor. Industry sources suggest a potential workaround: a three-way arrangement where Tapia wears Nike clothing and footwear while keeping his NOX racket through 2028. No confirmation from any party.
The plagiarism controversy. Social media lit up with comparisons between the Nike rackets and models from Spanish brand Dropshot. Padel Magazine covered the story, concluding it was "controversy fueled mainly by the buzz." The debate remains ongoing online.
Nike is reportedly targeting a formal market entry in 2027. Beyond that, the world's largest sportswear brand hasn't said a word. That silence, for now, is the story.
Source: Padel Addict, Actu Padel, Padel Magazine
Quick Hits
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15 new pairs debut at Pretoria — biggest reshuffle of 2026 — Gonza Alfonso's decision to leave Javi Barahona and pair with Tino Libaak (ex-world #1 on the rival A1 Padel circuit) set off a full domino in the men's mid-table: Barahona with Chozas, García Mora left Jiménez for Álex Ruiz, Jiménez joined Arroyo, Tolito Aguirre teamed up with Pablo García, and Esbrí formed a pair with Sanyo Gutiérrez. On the women's side, Ortega and Araújo reunited for their third chapter together, pushing Claudia Fernández to partner with Martina Calvo. Two of the most exciting young talents on the circuit, finally together as pair #4 seeds. (Marca)
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WSJ, Entrepreneur, and Yahoo Finance all ran padel features in one week — The Wall Street Journal called padel "the next American sporting sensation." Entrepreneur noted US courts grew from 227 to 1,000 in three years. Yahoo Finance aired a "Padel Pandemonium" segment. Sports Business Journal added its own deep-dive, revealing the Pro Padel League raised $15M and now airs on CNBC. Four major US business outlets covering padel in the same week. An unprecedented cluster. (Entrepreneur)
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Pretoria P1 underway, the first Premier Padel in Sub-Saharan Africa — The tour has reached a new continent. The Pretoria P1 (July 26 – Aug 2) at SunBet Arena is the first professional Premier Padel tournament in Sub-Saharan Africa. South African wildcards include 15-year-old Basma Ali, the youngest player in the field. ESPN is broadcasting live on DStv. Coello/Tapia are chasing title number six. (Modern Athlete)
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Mercedes-Benz India titles the Indian Padel Tour — Mercedes-Benz signed a multi-year deal as title partner of the Indian Padel Tour for 2026-27. Separately, Indian tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi called padel's Asian Games inclusion at Nagoya "a watershed moment" for the sport's Asian growth. (Business Standard)
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Belasteguín announces €5M padel center in Andorra — Fernando Belasteguín's fourth Bela Padel Center (after Alicante, Barcelona and Buenos Aires) will open in Encamp, Andorra in spring/summer 2027. Nine courts, restaurant, fitness center, backed by a 25-year operating contract. (Marca)
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56,000 sq ft padel centre approved in Nottingham — Nottingham City Council gave the green light to Padel House on the former Experian site. The developer says it will stand alongside Nottingham Forest's City Ground and Trent Bridge Cricket Ground as a major sporting venue. (The Business Desk)
Weekend Results
No Premier Padel tournament completed this week.
Pretoria P1 qualifications are underway (July 26-27), with main draw matches starting Monday July 28. Full results next week.
USA Padel 2000 Ultra Open — Padel Haus, Greenpoint, Brooklyn 🇺🇸 (July 24-26) Latest stop on the Nox USA Padel Circuit by Psycho Bunny.
Next Premier Padel results: Pretoria P1, finishing August 2.
Coming Up Next
Pretoria Premier Padel P1 — July 26 – August 2, SunBet Arena, Pretoria 🇿🇦
The first Premier Padel P1 in Sub-Saharan Africa is underway. Coello/Tapia are hunting a 6th consecutive title. Their possible semifinal against Lebrón/Augsburger is the match of the week. Galán/Chingotto lurk in the opposite half.
On the women's side, Ortega and Araújo have reunited for stage 3.0 of their partnership. Claudia Fernández and Martina Calvo debut as a new pair. South African wildcards give the host nation a home crowd to rally behind.
Watch on ESPN (DStv 218) in South Africa, Premier Padel YouTube (early rounds), and Red Bull TV (QF onwards).
London P1 follows one week later at Olympia (August 4-9).
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Did You Know?
The US had 227 padel courts in 2023. It now has around 1,000, a 340% increase in three years. That growth rate is faster than pickleball at the same stage. (Source: WSJ / Entrepreneur)
Player Spotlight
Basma Ali
The youngest player in the Pretoria P1 draw, competing as a South African wildcard on home soil, in the first Premier Padel tournament ever held in Sub-Saharan Africa.
At 15, Ali is facing professionals who have played the circuit for years. She earned her wildcard through the South African national federation pathway. The draw is rarely kind to wildcards, but playing Premier Padel in your home country, in front of your home crowd, is the kind of moment that shapes careers.
One to watch.
Hot Take
Four of the biggest US business publications covering padel in the same week isn't coincidence. It's a signal. WSJ, Entrepreneur, Yahoo Finance and SBJ don't independently decide to cover the same niche sport by accident. The era of explaining what padel is to an American audience is coming to an end.
Number of the Week
1,000
Padel courts now operating in the United States, up from 227 just three years ago
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