Several new racket sports facilities for pickleball and padel courts have opened in the Austin area within the last few years. These facilities offer players a social space for shared interests, said Karen Hoisington, franchisee of The Picklr Austin West, which opened in 2025, and its Oak Hill location, which opens in 2026.

The overview

Pickleball, padel and other racket sports such as tennis all share the basic gameplay of hitting a ball over a net, but there are a few differences, said Jordan Verna, head pro and director of pickleball instruction at both local The Picklr locations.

Court dimensions vary between the sports, Verna said, but typically three or four pickleball courts could fit inside the size of one tennis court. Padel courts are typically larger than pickleball courts but smaller than tennis, and enclosed with walls.

One defining feature of pickleball is the “kitchen,” or the area closest to the net where players cannot hit the ball.

“When people have some [racket] sport background, that's a big advantage that lets you come out on a pickleball court and pick it up really easily, because there's some similarities, but there's always a few differences too,” Verna said.

Pickleball, padel and tennis each have their own style of play and strategies, according to information from The Picklr, USA Pickleball, International Padel Federation and International Tennis Federation.

• Pickleball: uses a plastic ball and solid paddle; games are usually played in doubles
• Padel: uses a depressurized felt ball and solid racket; games are usually played in doubles
• Tennis: uses a felt ball and string racket; games are usually played in either singles or doubles

The local impact

Community is a major reason for the surge in Austin’s racket sports scene, especially pickleball, Hoisington said.

“It’s a third place for people,” Hoisington said. “We have people commonly come into our club that have just moved here, they don't know anybody, [and] it's instant community. There's no age restriction, so you're playing with all different ages and different skill levels.”

Verna also said one of the allures of pickleball is that it has a “very low barrier to entry,” unlike some other racket sports.

“You could have no racket sport background and step out on the court, and within 10 minutes, you're playing a game,” Verna said. “It can get very competitive—people put in a lot of work and training as the game progresses to get better and better, but it's very easy for people of all levels.”