Move Over Pickleball: Amarillo Welcomes Padel’s Fast-Paced Smash

It hasn't been long since pickleball seemed to come from nowhere to take over the entire country. Everywhere you looked, someone was talking about pickleball. It didn't take long for something to come along and challenge pickleball's claim to our free time.

As was the case with pickleball, Amarillo, Texas, is wasting no time in getting in on the latest trend. On Sunday, October 19, it became official, padel is in Yellow City.

What is Padel?

Padel (puh-dell) is the latest sports fad to take over Amarillo. At first glance, it looks a lot like a miniature version of tennis. Once play starts, however, nothing could be further from the truth.

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Padel is fast paced, played on an enclosed court, and it is hailed as a "thinking man's game." It's like tennis and squash had a love child.

The balls are similar to tennis balls, except for the fact that they are smaller in diameter and are made to get some serious bounce. Padel is also not a "power game". It's more about where you place the ball.

How Padel Is Played

You can play the ball after it hits the wall or the fence, which adds a whole different aspect of play from tennis. It's played in an estimated 90 countries worldwide with an estimated 30,000 courts.

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In the U.S. there are supposedly 700 courts, give or take, in existence. One of those is now in Amarillo, Texas.

Padel’s Rise in the U.S. (and Amarillo)

Amarillo has fully embraced the latest and greatest in paddle sports. A ribbon cutting was held at the this past weekend at the two courts we now have.

Put your pickleball ball gear next to your disc golf stuff in the closet. It's time to embrace padel in Amarillo.