Padel is gaining traction in the US but faces accessibility and cost barriers. The sport, popular in Spain and Argentina, requires specialized courts, unlike pickleball. Growth in the US hinges on youth programs and increased visibility through the Pro Padel League.
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You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Advertisement I first stepped onto a padel court in 2022. I was visiting my brother in Philadelphia and he drove us just outside city limits to a multi-purpose fitness center called PADELphia.
As a tennis purist who first picked up a racket in 1995 and was generally underwhelmed by other racket sports — including America's latest obsession (pickleball) — I had low expectations for this game that had been described to me as a cross between tennis and squash. But it was my little brother's one request. And it turned out he knew something I didn't: padel is electric.
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My first .