Facolos Announces Strategic Partnership with World No. 2 Pickleball Player Gabriel Tardio and Official Paddle Partnership with PPA and MLP in the United States.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Facolos’ long-term strategy to establish itself as a leading Asian pickleball brand with genuine global ambitions.
Under the agreement, Gabriel Tardio will serve as a brand ambassador for Facolos, using Facolos paddles exclusively in competition throughout 2026 and 2027. He will also join the Facolos Global Team (FGT), an elite roster previously featuring top professional players from Asia and Australia. This partnership represents a deliberate step in Facolos’ vision to deeply integrate into the global professional pickleball ecosystem by delivering competition-grade, high-performance equipment.
In addition, Facolos has secured official paddle partner status with both the PPA and MLP, two of the most prominent professional pickleball organizations in the United States.
Ms. Võ Trần Quỳnh Trang, Vice General Director of Facolos, stated: “Facolos is committed to a long-term development strategy in which partnering with world-class athletes plays a pivotal role. This collaboration is a strategic investment to elevate product quality, raise performance standards, and strengthen the position of Asian pickleball on the international stage. Gabriel Tardio is a young, exceptionally talented athlete with an impressive competitive record and a deep passion for the sport. He is constantly driven to reach new heights in his professional career. That mindset perfectly aligns with Facolos’ vision of supporting players at every level of development.”
As part of the agreement, Tardio will compete exclusively with Facolos’ flagship Pro Series paddle, the EliteX — featuring an advanced high-elasticity ElasticPP honeycomb core and a premium multidirectional T700 Raw Carbon face engineered for exceptional grip, spin, and precise control — as his official competition paddle. Additionally, Facolos and Tardio will collaborate on a co-branded collection that includes paddles, accessories, and pickleball apparel. Facolos will provide full support for Tardio’s participation in PPA and MLP events, beginning with the PPA Masters tournament in California, scheduled for January 12–18, 2026.
“I’m truly honored to partner with Facolos for the next chapter of my career,” said Gabriel Tardio. “When choosing a brand to partner with, paddle performance was my top priority — and I found exactly what I needed in Facolos’ Pro line, especially the EliteX. Beyond that, Facolos stands out for its strong focus on research, development, and rapid product innovation tailored to players’ needs. Their commitment to sustainable growth also resonated deeply with me. I’m excited about what we can achieve together — both in my career milestones and in helping drive Facolos’ disruptive development on the global stage.”