Nike padel: rackets, Tapia, NOX and what we know about 2027

The Nike padel project has still not been officially announced as a racket range, and no launch date has been given. But as of 11 August 2026, the case is much stronger than a simple rumour: three rackets have been shown, Nike has already contacted NOX about Agustín Tapia and the world No. 1 has acknowledged that such a move would be a dream. Between his NOX contract through 2028, the Command–Attack–Balance range and the 2027 scenario, here is what is established, what still needs confirmation and what Nike has yet to reveal.

Nike in padel: what has actually changed

The first threshold was crossed this summer. Nike is no longer linked to padel only through tennis shoes used on tour or through a section of its online store. At NOCTA Manor 2026, three rackets carrying the swoosh were shown under the names Command, Attack and Balance. Their appearance gives the project a tangible basis, even though Nike has published no launch statement, product sheet or price.

Actu Padel had already detailed the three models in a first article on the Nike Command, Attack and Balance rackets. Since that 3 August update, Nike has not announced a commercial launch. The French Nike padel page already groups shoes, clothing and accessories from the NikeCourt universe, but no Command, Attack or Balance racket appears there as of 11 August.

The distinction is clear between a visible project and a collection that can be bought. The product exists at least in the form of models that have been shown. The launch still has no public timetable.

A direct answer for players already looking for these products: Nike is not yet selling the Command, Attack and Balance rackets on its French website as of 11 August 2026. The brand does sell products in a “Padel” section, but the shoes shown there are still described as tennis models for hard courts or clay.

Does Nike already offer padel shoes?

Nike already places several shoes in its “Padel” section, but the product pages we checked describe them as tennis shoes for hard courts or clay. As of 11 August 2026, none of the official pages we reviewed presents a model as a shoe developed specifically for padel.

What is the best Nike shoe for padel?

There is not yet an official basis for naming a “best” Nike shoe made for padel. The models visible in Nike France’s padel section are still presented as tennis shoes. The choice therefore depends mainly on the court surface, the support a player wants and personal preference, rather than on a dedicated Nike padel shoe range that has been announced.

Command, Attack and Balance: three names, many technical questions

The NOCTA Manor images suggest three different directions. The Command stands out with an unusual peripheral hole pattern, an asymmetrical throat and a textured face. The Attack uses a more attacking geometry. The Balance has a more conventional design that points toward an all-round racket.

Caution is still needed on materials. Some sources have mentioned 16K carbon for the Command and 12K for the Balance, but Nike has not confirmed those specifications. No weight, balance point, foam type, hardness, frame profile or manufacturing tolerance has been published. Without those data, the three models cannot be compared properly with leading rackets from NOX, Bullpadel, Head, Babolat, Wilson or Adidas.

This is central to the story. A Command, Attack and Balance segmentation may be easy to understand from a marketing standpoint, but a padel range is judged by ball feel, manoeuvrability, stability, ball output and the frame’s ability to retain its characteristics over time. For now, Nike has shown shapes and names. The equipment test still has to happen.

Agustín Tapia, the file that could accelerate Nike’s entry

The most sensitive part of the story is not the racket. It is the player. Jesús Ballvé, NOX general manager, acknowledged in June that Nike had contacted the brand about Agustín Tapia. That confirmation changes the nature of the rumour because the interest is no longer inferred only from images or appearances at an event.

Tapia addressed the subject himself in a Mundo Deportivo interview published on 19 June. He explained that his team had not told him about any talks advanced enough to describe as an agreement. He also acknowledged the attraction of being linked with a brand of that size.

It would be a dream for me.

That sentence is not a signing announcement. The contractual constraint is public: NOX announced in April 2024 that Tapia would remain with its team through 2028. In 2026, the brand is still selling a broad AT10 range developed around its leading player, from rackets to shoes and apparel.

The timing makes the file more relevant. Since Actu Padel’s first article, Tapia and Arturo Coello won the London P1 on 9 August 2026, the first edition of the London event, according to Premier Padel’s official report. Premier Padel said more than 20,000 spectators attended during the week. In the FIP ranking checked on 11 August, Tapia remains No. 1 with 21,123 points. For Nike, targeting a player at that level would mean linking a new line to one of the tour’s most visible figures.

Why Tapia’s image matters so much to Nike

Tapia’s value is not limited to his ranking. His game produces instantly recognisable highlights, his partnership with Coello has dominated sporting discussion for several seasons and his reception in Argentina shows a popularity that extends beyond a racket contract.

In May 2026, Premier Padel posted footage of the ovation Tapia received in Buenos Aires. That matters in a sponsorship discussion because a global brand is also buying visibility, content potential and a direct relationship with an audience.

The embed comes from Premier Padel’s official account. It does not prove any link between Nike and Tapia. It does show the exposure of the player Nike has sought to approach.

A Nike–Tapia deal without leaving NOX: the scenario to watch

The contract through 2028 rules out a simplistic reading such as “Tapia leaves NOX for Nike in 2027”. Nothing public supports that statement today. If talks moved forward before the end of the contract, one coherent scenario would be a split by product category, with NOX keeping the racket and some equipment while Nike looked for a role in apparel or footwear.

This remains a commercial hypothesis, not an announced agreement. It rests on two facts: NOX still controls a long contractual relationship with Tapia and Nike already sells clothing and shoes in a “Padel” category on its European sites. Jesús Ballvé has also said that any approach involving Tapia had to go through NOX.

There is another option. Nike can launch its own rackets without Tapia. Command, Attack and Balance show that product development does not depend on a single signing. A top-level ambassador would create a faster media effect, but one is not required to put a range on the market.

Before the rackets, Nike was already visible on padel courts

The brand’s interest in this audience did not begin at NOCTA Manor. At the Brussels P2 2026, Leo Augsburger was seen wearing Nike Vapor 12 Hypersmash, a tennis model. Actu Padel had analysed that episode without presenting it as proof of a padel contract or a shoe designed for the sport.

That detail carries more meaning now. Nike already has court products that padel players can use, while its online stores include a “Padel” entry. The next step is not learning how to sell to this audience. It is finding out whether Nike wants dedicated products, with distribution and communication built specifically for padel.

Why the padel market can attract Nike now

In June 2026, the International Padel Federation estimated the sport at 38 million players across 178 countries and territories, with about 85,000 courts, 27,000 clubs and 100 affiliated national federations. Those figures give the market an international scale that major sporting-goods brands monitor closely.

For Nike, the potential opportunity is not limited to the price of a racket. A broader entry could cover footwear, apparel, accessories, lifestyle collaborations and athletes. NOCTA Manor matters because it puts padel in a setting where sport, fashion and culture meet. The presence of the rackets at that event is not enough to define a global strategy, but it shows that the project has moved beyond an abstract idea.

The business question will be distribution. Padel specialists have club, shop and retail networks that understand the technical expectations of players. Nike has a different scale of brand recognition and global distribution. The meeting of those two models could matter to the market if the rackets actually arrive in 2027.

Similarities with Drop Shot: what can be stated

The first images also triggered comparisons between some Nike moulds and Drop Shot rackets. Actu Padel examined those visual similarities. So far, no public information establishes plagiarism, industrial copying or a shared mould origin.

A visual impression has to be separated from technical proof. Two rackets can share a silhouette, bridge or hole pattern without having the same internal structure, materials or manufacturer. Without design documents, a relevant patent, statements from the brands or a physical analysis of the models, the case remains visual.

What Nike still needs to announce before there is a real 2027 range

• A launch date and the first countries to be served.
• Full technical specifications for Command, Attack and Balance.
• Retail prices, available weights and warranties.
• The positioning of the line, whether competition, mass market or several levels.
• Contracted male and female players, with a precise split between racket, apparel and footwear.
• The distribution network, whether Nike.com, specialist retailers, clubs or a combination of channels.

As of 11 August 2026, Nike has not publicly answered any of those questions about its rackets.

Where does Nike’s entry into padel really stand?

The file has moved through several stages, but not the final one. The Command, Attack and Balance rackets have been shown. Nike already has a padel category in its online stores. Contact with NOX about Tapia has been publicly acknowledged. Tapia has expressed personal interest while also making clear that no advanced talks had been put to him. His NOX contract still runs through 2028.

The most accurate conclusion is straightforward: Nike is clearly preparing the ground, but the company has not yet officially launched a padel racket range or announced a major ambassador for the project. The next piece of information that would materially change the story will be a Nike announcement, such as a product sheet, a commercial timetable, a player contract or a collection launch. Until then, 2027 remains a credible horizon mentioned by several sources, not an official date.