Atlanta players compete for national padel glory
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

You can find fame and glory playing padel.
Why it matters: The National Padel League is giving amateur players the opportunity to play in the country's first league endorsed by the U.S. Padel Association.
Zoom in: Amateur players in the USA National Team League will represent 40 cities, including Atlanta, on a national stage.
How it works: Amateur players of all levels will play on city-based teams and compete for the chance to play at Miami's National Finals in February.
- The league is open to active USPA members 16 and older.
Catch up quick: Invented in Mexico in 1969, "paddle" or "pah-dell" combines tennis, squash and racquetball and is growing in popularity in the U.S., particularly in Florida, Texas and along the east coast.
- It's played on a smaller, tennis-style court surrounded by glass walls.
The big picture: Padel is more physically demanding than its American cousin, pickleball, which has become the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.
- And unlike pickleball, which can be easily played on re-lined tennis courts, padel courts are more expensive to install. Plus, it isn't free to play.
The latest: In December 2023, Kevin Ye and Andrew Herring's company PATL partnered with ITA Atlanta to open courts and offer clinics and lessons at the Chamblee racquet sports complex.
What's next: Registration is open until Oct. 15, and local competitions will begin Oct. 20.
