Campagnolo ends 12-year Drop Shot deal and debuts in Nike in Düsseldorf

Lucas Campagnolo has ended one of the longest player-brand partnerships on the professional tour. On Monday the Brazilian said in an emotional Instagram video, recorded in Portuguese, that he was leaving Drop Shot after 12 years. A day later he walked on court at the Germany P2 in Düsseldorf wearing Nike clothing and holding an all-black racket with no logo on it.

The end of a long run

Campagnolo had been Drop Shot's most visible professional for years. Spanish outlet Padel Spain notes that he became the brand's main figure after Juan Martín Díaz and Pablo Lima retired, and that his best results came in its colours. The Explorer range was closely linked to him, and several models carried his name or his nickname "Campa".

The split does not seem to have been his choice. According to Actu Padel, Campagnolo said in his message that Drop Shot had been his home for twelve years, and that the break had not happened the way he would have wanted. He gave no reasons. Padel Spain reads his words the same way and writes that, for his part, he would have stayed with the brand.

The timing is notable because the 2026 season has been Campagnolo's best. Actu Padel reports that he reached a career-high world ranking of No. 15 with 3,666 points as of 5 October, and that he has a 28-16 win-loss record on the Premier Padel tour this year. With Jerónimo "Momo" González he reached the semi-finals of the Rotterdam P2 last week.

A black racket and a Nike shirt

Padel Spain points out that the change had been coming for a while. Campagnolo had already been seen with an all-black racket at the Lyon and Rotterdam events. In Düsseldorf, Padel Magazine reported, he wore Nike clothing alongside the blacked-out racket.

It was not a winning debut. González and Campagnolo, the eighth seeds, lost 7-5, 7-6 in the round of 32 to Juan Tello and Maximiliano Arce, who were playing their first tournament together.

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What Nike has and hasn't said

For the equipment market, the more interesting question is what comes next. Nike has not officially announced any padel rackets, launch dates or prices. Padel Magazine has gathered several signs of interest, though. During the summer, three racket models named Command, Attack and Balance were shown at a NOCTA event linked to Drake. They were also seen around Agustín Tapia and Juan Lebrón and the NBA players Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

None of this confirms that Campagnolo has signed a racket deal with Nike, or that a racket will go on sale soon. The unbranded frame could just as easily be a test model, a stopgap, or a product still in development. A Nike rollout would still be a major event for a market where Spanish specialist brands and established sportswear names compete for the same club players. A Brazilian top-15 player in its kit would give the American giant a high-profile face on the Premier Padel tour.

Next up

For now, the Düsseldorf result leaves Campagnolo and González with time to regroup before the next stop on the Premier Padel calendar. Padel Magazine counts six tournaments left for the leading teams this season. Campagnolo's ranking is the highest of his career, and he no longer has a contract with Drop Shot. The next development to watch is an official announcement of his new equipment partner. Until one arrives, the blacked-out racket is the only clue.