Lucas Campagnolo has a new racket sponsor. Brazil's top-ranked padel player has signed with the Swedish brand OXDOG Padel on a deal that runs until the end of 2028, ending a 12-year partnership with Drop Shot. Brazilian outlet Super Padel reported the signing on 11 October, and Spanish media confirmed it on Tuesday.
Weeks of speculation, then the announcement
People had been guessing about Campagnolo's next move for some time. According to Super Padel, he had recently been turning up at tournaments in Nike clothing and with a plain black racket, which made it obvious that his Drop Shot contract had ended. OXDOG then welcomed him on social media, praising his "garra, potência e energia" (grit, power and energy).
Padel Spain describes the 31-year-old from Alegrete as a player known for total commitment who leaves everything on the court and fights for every ball. It sees the move as a fresh start as he chases a place at the season-ending Barcelona Finals.
Which racket will he use?
It is not yet clear which OXDOG model Campagnolo will play with. Padel Spain reports that he has appeared in promotional photos with several options, including the Ultimate Pro+ 2026 and the Hyper Pro+ 2.0 2026. OXDOG started out in floorball and moved into padel in 2022. It has been signing professional players quickly and now sponsors Arnau Ayats, Álex Ruiz, Javier Barahona, Javi García Mora and Teo Zapata.
For the brand, signing a player of Campagnolo's level is a statement. He is currently ranked inside the men's top 20 and is the leading figure in Brazil's fast-growing padel scene. With him, OXDOG gets a high-profile name in South America.
The move is also a big personal change. Campagnolo spent more than a decade with Drop Shot, which covers almost his whole professional career. At 31, he is moving to a young company that is trying to establish itself among the major padel brands. Super Padel reports that OXDOG sees his signing as an important step towards building a presence among the tour's leading players.
A stablemate across the net in Milan
He starts his first event in the new colours straight away. At the OYSHO Milano Premier Padel P1, Campagnolo and Momo González are scheduled to play in Tuesday's round of 32 at the Allianz Cloud against Javi Barahona and Nacho Piotto, so he faces another OXDOG player in his first match. Barahona and Piotto reached that match on Monday by beating Italy's Marco Cassetta and Argentina's Fabián Oviedo 6-7, 6-3, 6-2.
The timing works for Campagnolo. After Milan, the tour goes to the Kuwait Major (26-31 October), and the FIP World Championship in Qatar follows from 2 to 7 November. Both events give him a chance to settle in with the new equipment before the race for Barcelona places is decided.
