In the world of racket sports in Austin, we may be entering a new craze: padel. A new facility for the Mexican sport has announced that it's signed a lease at 1610 Dungan Ln. The Padel Collective plans to open in spring of 2026.
It seems tennis first took over back in the 80s and 90s; then we had a racquetball phase in the early 2000s. Pickleball has been all the rage since the pandemic, and Austin was even named "the nation's pickleball capital" in a 2024 report by an online teaching marketplace specializing in sports.
For those unfamiliar with the sport, imagine tennis and squash and combine the two. Like tennis, it's usually played with four people as a game of doubles, and players must hit the ball over a net; but like squash, they can also hit the ball off the walls or the (typically) glass-walled enclosure. The racket is unique in that it's solid — not stringed like a tennis racket — with little holes drilled into it. And the ball is much like a tennis ball, but smaller and slightly less bouncy.
A concept rendering of the Padel Collective, expected to open next spring.Rendering courtesy of the Padel Collective
Founded by local Austin entrepreneurs Yaro Kazakov and Daria Dergileva, the Padel Collective will cover 20,800 square feet of indoor and outdoor padel courts, a sauna and cold plunge area, plus a coffee bar and cafe to create an upscale wellness-meets-padel experience for Austinites.
"I firmly believe Austin has the potential to become the epicenter for padel in the South," said Kazakov in a press release. "Austinites are health-conscious, socially engaged and live active, wellness-driven lives. Our focus is on creating a welcoming and elevated environment where members can tune out the noise, enjoy playing padel, and feel like they truly belong."
Other fitness equipment and places to sit down expand the facility's purpose.Rendering courtesy of the Padel Collective
The Padel Collective is not North Austin's first padel club in recent years, but it does seem poised to be the more upscale option with the additional wellness-focused amenities. It's also still relatively early for the trend. Forbes estimates that following the recent pickleball obsession, Gen Z will be heralds of the age of padel, "despite the perception that pickleball is for retirees and former tennis players."
Things are still in the very earliest of stages for the Padel Collective, as CBRE Group, a Dallas-based commercial real estate and investment firm, has only just arranged the facility's lease. However the project evolves, Kazakov is confident in its adaptability.
“It’s a sport people can enjoy casually as a lifestyle activity or take seriously and play competitively," said Kazakov, [and] that versatility is the key to its growth in the U.S.”
Tailgate with CultureMap
Sports fans can get in the gameday spirit at CultureMap's big fall sports bash, The Tailgate, taking place September 25 at Distribution Hall. Favorite Austin restaurants and chefs will serve up sports-inspired bites, and premium cocktails will keep guests hydrated as they meet-and-greet Texas sports legends, bid on memorabilia in a silent auction, and enjoy more game-day fun. The Tailgate is sponsored by FLIGHT by Yuengling, Mizzen+Main, Antone's Famous Po' Boys, and more to be announced.
Read more about The Tailgate here and score early bird tickets here before they run out.
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