Nick Kyrgios has never done anything halfway. Pickleball is no different.
The former world No. 13 has announced partnerships with two pickleball brands—Picklr, one of the sport’s fastest-growing club networks, and Vulcan, an equipment brand he describes as “disruptive”—and has gone a step further by releasing his own signature paddle, the Vulcan CHPT01.
The partnerships make sense on multiple levels. Kyrgios has been candid about the physical toll of professional tennis, and pickleball—considerably easier on the body—gives him a competitive outlet without the wear that derailed much of his career. The sport also suits his personality: fast, loud, community-driven, and growing fast.
“The Picklr clubs—the vibe, the community, and how competitive people were out there—I was pumped about it,” he said. “I knew I had to be involved somehow.”
He said the same instinct drew him to Vulcan. “The brand is sick. They aren’t trying to be something else; they are disruptive, in my opinion. Just wait to see what they have coming.”
The paddle itself is the most tangible expression of how seriously Kyrgios is taking this. The Vulcan CHPT01 is a tour-level paddle designed around his playing style—elongated for easier power generation, and built light, which is a deliberate callback to his tennis roots.
“If you know my tennis racket, it is one of the lightest on tour, so to have a paddle that is light and generates power makes me feel at home,” Kyrgios said. “Built for aggressive play, that’s why it is elongated—easier power.”
He added that the design process was more involved than a typical endorsement. “The team was amazing at teaching me the difference in materials and what made a paddle great. Then we tailored it more toward my playing style so it would translate on the smaller court.”
Kyrgios also used the announcement to push the sport’s growth agenda, urging fans to find their nearest Picklr club—and signalling that expansion is underway for areas that do not yet have one.
At 29, with his tennis career behind him and pickleball’s profile rising by the month, Kyrgios has found his next arena. And if his track record means anything, he will not be quiet about it.
