Lotto Tennis Tied To History, Rooted In Modern Performance

John Newcombe launched Lotto’s foray into tennis in the 1970s and the Lotto Autograph remains a top-selling lifestyle model.

Lotto

In the crowded space of tennis footwear, Italian-based Lotto offers equal parts performance and culture. Born from tennis in 1973, Lotto has leaned on history for a lifestyle-focused tennis edge but maintains a performance perspective.

“Performance has been the company,” Andrea Tomat, president and CEO, Lotto Sport Italia, tells me. “For us, the best materials, the lightest product, the best traction, anything that could make performance better than anyone else [is the focus]. We have always been well aware of the importance of materials, designs, production technologies.”

That means Lotto remains dedicated to its performance models the Raptor Hyperpulse 100 and the Mirage 100, while still embracing heritage silhouettes, such as the Autograph and the Losanga ’76, through its lifestyle brand, Leggenda.

“Our formula is equal parts performance and culture,” Jameel Spencer, chief marketing officer for fashion and sports at WHP Global, Lotto’s owner, tells me. “Lotto’s 50-plus year in tennis, and the champions and iconic moments connected to the brand, give us authentic permission to show up today.”

Lotto tennis, born from the Caberlotto family in 1973—they started Caber for ski boots and later Alberto Caberlotto and two brothers took the back half of the name to form their shoe-making company in Montebelluna, Italy. They debuted its tennis with Australian John Newcombe, launching a signature shoe for the star, the Autograph, as the first tennis shoe for Lotto.

Lotto archives state: “Former company people remember John Newcombe in Lotto’s product department working with the designers on the model that would accompany him during his numerous successes. Newcombe Autograph was created according to Newcombe’s instructions and was thought to guarantee the best comfort and the highest performance to one of the most famous athletes of the ‘70s.”

The one-piece full-grain leather upper included pure cotton cloth lining. The lack of stitching improved the overall feel. The Lotto double diamond logo and the heel patch were both in “elegant blue suede,” as was Newcombe’s autograph.

“As you can imagine, this is a story that dates back a few years,” Tomat says, adding that Newcombe helped bring Lotto beyond Italy, giving it a true international reach. Italian tennis enjoyed success in the 1970s—much like it is now—and a 1976 Davis Cup win helped solidify the sport as a growth opportunity.

As the sport and its players evolved, so has Lotto. In the 1980s the brand created a midsole focused on shock absorption and energy return. They’ve refined that technology over the years, whether for Martina Navratilova in the 1990s or in the modern footwear lineup.

The Raptor Hyperpulse 100 offers the newest in the brand’s repertoire, with more structure, stability and cushioning for the game’s most powerful players. “We have adapted with the Hyperpulse the idea of impact and energy transfer with blades incorporated into the midsoles,” Tomat says. “It helps shock absorption, but not to disperse too much energy.”

The Lotto Mirage 100 offers a lighter-weight speed-focused shoe. “The Mirage is a Ferrari, high performing and good for fast reactions,” he says.

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Tomat adds that Lotto works to match the apparel with the footwear and takes pride in their style offering a “point of emphasis for the brand.”

Lotto aims to retain its Italian heritage, seen in both materials and the use of color. “I think you can see from the shoes we are not like the Japanese, Americans or the Germans,” Tomat says. “We all have our way.”

The history of Lotto shows up in its lifestyle brand, known as Leggenda, led by the Autograph, still a direct tie to Newcombe’s original ‘70s shoe. “The Autograph is our history, it is John Newcombe’s history,” Tomat says. “He was wearing the product, and he helped us a lot. We are very proud and keep selling it and try to bring something new every season.”

The Losanga ’76 ties to Italy’s 1976 Davis Cup victory and updates the original silhouette with premium materials, vintage finishes and a more prominent double-diamond logo.

In a tie to culture this U.S. Open in New York City, Lotto partnered with Greenberg’s Bagels, leading a store takeover and creating signature menu items and merchandise. “We don’t want Lotto to simply appear near tennis,” Spencer says. “We want the brand to feel native to the culture surrounding it.”

Expect to see a more connected, visible and intentional Lotto. “We’ll continue investing in athletes, technical product, performance and Italian design, while using Lotto Autograph, collaborations and culture-led storytelling to extend the brand beyond the court,” Spencer says. “We’re not trying to reinvent Lotto. We’re revealing the full power of what has always made it special: authentic sport, Italian flair and a meaningful connection to culture.”

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