Padel is Austin's trendy new racquet sport

Padel is Austin's trendy new racquet sport

Austin is emerging as one of the biggest U.S. markets for padel, the racquet sport that's rapidly spreading beyond its Latin American roots.

Why it matters: Club operators are betting the city has the right mix of players to fuel padel's next phase of growth.

Catch up quick: Padel (pronounced like paddle or the Spanish pádel) started in Mexico about 50 years ago and is typically played in doubles.

  • The major difference is that the courts are surrounded by glass or mesh walls that players use to bounce balls off of.

    • By the numbers: Texas now has about 202 padel courts, second only to Florida's 297, according to court booking platform Playtomic.

  • Austin ranks second nationally with 42 courts, trailing only Miami (192) and narrowly ahead of Houston (41).

    • What they're saying: Will Boyce watched padel explode across Europe while working in investment banking and saw an opportunity to bring the sport to Austin.

  • He left his job to launch Padel39, a premium padel club, in 2024 at the Domain.
  • "Austin loves to try new things," Boyce tells Axios, saying the city's mix of young professionals, international residents and racquet sport enthusiasts made it a natural place to open the club.

    • Zoom in: Padel39 has seen steady demand since opening.

  • Its new East Austin location now introduces 100–130 first-time players every week, according to Boyce.
  • Even the older North Austin club continues to attract around 30 new players weekly.

    • The intrigue: Padel's biggest selling point may be that it's easy to learn without becoming boring.

  • "Padel is a more complex sport. It involves more strategy," Boyce says. "That's what's amazing about padel. It's really easy to pick up, but it's more challenging to master."

    • Between the lines: The growth comes as pickleball's breakneck expansion appears to be slowing.

  • The number of pickleball courts across the nation's 100 largest cities grew 4% from 2025 to 2026, down from 13% growth the previous year, according to Playtomic data.
  • Court finder Pickleheads still lists at least 57 pickleball courts around Austin.

    • Try it: You can find padel courts in Austin at Padel 39's two locations, Padel Club Austin, Padel Society ATX, Austin Padel Center and Dripping Springs Racquet Club.