From this week’s RADL Wire… No Strings strengthens its leadership bench by adding F1 Arcade founder Adam Breeden as a strategic advisor as padel hits an inflection point in the U.S., while Jannik Sinner and Allianz announce a new multi-year global partnership linking elite tennis with global brand engagement. On the events front, the 2026 Zing Zang Championship Court ticket lottery opens for the US Open Pickleball Championships, and Laykold kicks off its 100th anniversary as the official court surface of the Abu Dhabi Open and numerous premier tournaments worldwide. Plus, the latest from the RSPA.

Highlights Include:

• People in the news

• NOX apparel, Laykold court surfaces

• WCRS Tennis Development Event

PEOPLE

No Strings Taps F1 Arcade Founder Adam Breeden as U.S. Padel Market Hits Inflection Point

No Strings, Inc., a Miami-based padel platform, announced today that Adam Breeden has joined as a strategic advisor. Breeden is Founder of F1 Arcade, and Co-Founder of Flight Club Darts, Puttshack, Bounce, and Hijingo, scaling them into global eatertainment brands. The company is building flagship padel clubs in key markets that integrate proprietary player engagement technology and hospitality-first experiences, with plans to scale internationally through regional licensing. The appointment follows No Strings’ December 2025 announcement that Joey Gonzalez, former CEO of Barry’s, joined as an advisor. Breeden will focus his board expertise on brand positioning, venue design, corporate development, and licensing strategy, ensuring proprietary technology is embedded into operations from the outset.

In March 2025, No Strings completed a $1.3 million pre-seed round and is currently raising a $6m seed. Learn More

Jannik Sinner and Allianz Enter Multi-Year Global Partnership

Jannik Sinner and Allianz Group have announced a multi-year global partnership, naming Allianz an official partner of the four-time Grand Slam champion. The agreement further expands Allianz’s global sports portfolio while strengthening its engagement with tennis audiences across key international markets. Under the agreement, Sinner will serve as an Allianz Global Brand Ambassador, with campaigns carrying the tagline “We’re here to serve” across Allianz markets. The partnership also reinforces Allianz’s broader strategy of using sport to foster emotional connections with customers, employees, and communities.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Paddletek Introduces Limited-Edition Reserve Honeyfoam™ Pickleball Paddle

Paddletek Group has launched the Reserve Honeyfoam™, a limited-edition pickleball paddle that represents the company’s first foam-based design and the debut of its new Paddletek Reserve small-batch product line. The Reserve Honeyfoam™ paddle features a shock-arrestor edge guard for impact dampening, a unidirectional T700 raw carbon hitting surface to increase dwell time and spin potential, and an elongated paddle shape to support extended reach and aggressive shot-making.

The product marks the first new paddle launch following the recent merger of Paddletek, ProXR, Padeltek, and Yobow under the Paddletek Group platform. The paddle is priced at $249.99 and is available exclusively through Paddletek’s website and Pickleball Central while supplies last, with additional Reserve releases planned in the coming months.

NOX Unveils New Winter Apparel Collection for Padel Players

NOX has launched a new winter textile collection designed to keep padel players comfortable, stylish, and performance-ready during colder conditions. Built for training, competition, and everyday wear, the collection emphasizes warmth, functionality, and modern design.

Now available in European markets, the winter lineup includes new jackets, hoodies, and pants engineered to adapt to different moments of the day and playing styles. According to NOX, the collection blends technical fabrics and practical features with a distinctive aesthetic aligned with the brand’s on-court identity.

2026 Zing Zang Championship Court Ticket Lottery Opens

The Zing Zang Championship Court will once again serve as the centerpiece of the US Open Pickleball Championships in 2026, hosting the tournament’s marquee matchups, top-ranked players—including world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters—and the event’s largest crowds. New for 2026, the tournament has introduced a Zing Zang Championship Court Premium Bleacher Weekly Package, offering reserved seating in the first few rows with cushioned seatbacks, six included drinks per day, and a transferable credential. Weekly packages cover eight days of center-court action, are priced at $750 per seat, and are allocated through the lottery.

The 2026 ticket lottery request window opened Sunday, February 1, and closes Thursday, February 5.

Laykold Marks 100 Years as Official Court Surface of the Abu Dhabi Open

Laykold began its centenary year as the official court surface of the Abu Dhabi Open, with the 2026 edition of the tournament taking place from January 31 to February 7 on Laykold hard courts. Over the past century, the surface has been used by generations of elite players and has been featured at landmark moments in professional tennis, from early U.S. championships to contemporary Grand Slam finals. Laykold is one of the most widely used professional court surfaces in the sport. In addition to the Abu Dhabi Open, it serves as the official surface for the US Open, Miami Open, BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Wuhan Open, Mexican Open, and numerous ATP, WTA, and ITF events.

RSPA

Join RSPA Pros for a WCRS Tennis Development Event on Feb. 16 

Get ready for an inspiring day of growth and connection at the WCRS Tennis Professional Development Event! We’ll dive into topics of communication, conflict management, technique corrections, and powerful ways to invite, support and empower more women to pursue coaching roles in racquet sports. Happening Feb. 16 from 11 am–2:30 pm in Oklahoma City, OK, with lunch included. The cost will be $29 for all! RSPA members will receive additional education credits. 

The RSPA Announces Völkl Tennis as Official Tennis Equipment Supplier, with Educational Support from SportsEdTV

The Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA), Völkl Tennis and SportsEdTV today jointly announced a strategic partnership designed to elevate tennis education by aligning professional instruction, equipment innovation, and digital content distribution.

As part of the agreement, Völkl Tennis has been named the Official Tennis Equipment Partner of the RSPA, including bags, strings, grips, and accessories. Völkl racquets and equipment will be available to RSPA members at an exclusive discount for personal use, on-court instruction, and resale through tiered pro shop programs. The collaboration emphasizes informed equipment selection as a core component of player development, particularly during the learning and progression phases.