Brands Home in on Racket Sports
Published 07 April 2025
From the enduring popularity of tennis in both performance and lifestyle categories to ever-expanding interest in its sister sports padel and pickleball, the racket sports market may feel more crowded than ever – but there’s immense opportunity to be mined by smart brands tapping into communities and merging form and function.
As myriad brands focus on performance footwear made specifically for sports like pickleball and padel, they’re also further ingraining themselves in these communities via clever partnerships and athlete deals.
US brand Made+ tapped pro player Tara Bernstein for the release of its first pickleball shoe; Skechers launched its new pickleball sneaker and apparel line in January in a campaign fronted by pros (and Skechers athletes) Catherine Parenteau and Tyson McGuffin; Golden Goose recently onboarded padel stars Martita Ortega and Juan Lebrón Chincoa as brand ambassadors; and Emporio Armani’s sportswear line EA7 has become the official partner of UK-based club Rocket Padel.
Golden Goose
Skechers
Made+ x Tara Bernstein
Golden Goose
Skechers
Skechers
Golden Goose
EA7 x Rocket Padel
EA7 x Rocket Padel
 Golden Goose |  Skechers |  Made+ x Tara Bernstein |  Golden Goose |  Skechers |  Skechers |  Golden Goose |  EA7 x Rocket Padel |  EA7 x Rocket Padel |
Plus, On has continued its expansion beyond running with a Swiss tennis-inspired sneaker that’s available exclusively at e-tailers Revolve and Fwrd, and Italian label P448 partnered with Vibram on a shoe designed specifically for indoor padel and pickleball courts. Additionally last year, Adidas and Reebok released their first dedicated padel and pickleball footwear respectively, with Reebok also releasing a collaboration with US pickleball brand Recess.
On
On
P448 x Vibram
Adidas
P448 x Vibram
P448 x Vibram
 On |  On |  P448 x Vibram |  Adidas |  P448 x Vibram |  P448 x Vibram |
Reebox
Reebox x Recess
 Reebox |  Reebox x Recess |
Elsewhere, tenniscore aesthetics continue to appeal both in performance and casualwear, with a variety of collections and collaborations including Hailey Bieber x Fila, H&M Move’s S/S 25 resort capsule, and the entire visual identity of Sporty & Rich, playing into on-court styling and design cues. A.P.C.’s Asics collaboration also includes a mix of ready-to-wear, practical accessories and on-court gear.
With the continued rise of pickleball and padel, as well as the evergreen appeal of tennis, it’s clear that interest in racket sports is only growing. The recent launch of new US racket sports brand Spence, despite much existing competition, further indicates the opportunity in sartorial yet pragmatic design as these markets expand.
Hailey Bieber x Fila
Hailey Bieber x Fila
Hailey Bieber x Fila
H&M Move
H&M Move
H&M Move
A.P.C. x Asics
A.P.C. x Asics
A.P.C. x Asics
Spence
Spence
Spence
 Hailey Bieber x Fila |  Hailey Bieber x Fila |  Hailey Bieber x Fila |  H&M Move |  H&M Move |  H&M Move |  A.P.C. x Asics |  A.P.C. x Asics |  A.P.C. x Asics |  Spence |  Spence |  Spence |