Learn-to-play clinics at more than 75 clubs, a record-prize US Open in Brooklyn, and the first-ever USA Padel Awards made October 2026 the biggest month in American padel history.

The United States celebrated its first-ever National Padel Month this October, and the sport delivered from the first day to the last. Led by USA Padel, along with industry partners and member clubs, the month-long initiative set out to do three things: bring new players onto the court, showcase elite competition, and honor the people who built the game in America.

The celebration also coincided with World Padel Day on October 20, giving players across the country one more reason to pick up a racquet and join a global moment for the sport.

Learn to Play: New Players at More Than 75 Clubs

Getting first-timers on court was the heart of the month, and clubs answered the call. More than 75 clubs across the country ran Learn to Play programs throughout October, from intro clinics and free trial sessions to multi-week beginner courses and social open-play nights.

The New Player Program Finder, powered by Padel Browser, brought all of that beginner programming into one place, so anyone curious about the sport could find a welcoming club nearby in a few clicks.

US Open Padel Championships: New Champions in Brooklyn

The competitive centerpiece of the month arrived on day two. The 2026 US Open Padel Championships by Fresca Hard ran October 2 to 4 across three Padel Haus venues in New York City, with Division 1 and all finals at Padel Haus Greenpoint. A record $40,000 Division 1 prize pool, the largest in the tournament’s history, drew the strongest field American padel has seen.

Men’s Division 1. Top seeds Daniel Diaz and Jose David Sánchez Serrano did not drop a set until the final, then beat No. 2 seeds Nico Agritelley and Sergio Conde 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 to confirm their place as the pair to beat on the circuit. Read the men’s recap.

Women’s Division 1. Third seeds Anna Cortiles and Marta Arellano came from a set down in both the quarterfinal and semifinal, then beat top seeds Luicelena Perez and Jordana Lujan in a commanding final. The title was Cortiles’ fourth major of 2026 and strengthened her hold on the No. 1 ranking. Read the women’s recap.

The Inaugural USA Padel Awards

National Padel Month also launched a new tradition, the USA Padel Awards, created to recognize the people who have driven the sport’s growth in America. Three USA Padel Service Awards were presented across the month.

Mike May: an early pioneer. May was recruited to the first-ever U.S. Men’s Padel Team in 1993, became the first certified padel professional in U.S. history, and led the national governing body as president from 1998 to 2018. He represented the United States at 13 Padel World Championships and oversaw the installation of the first padel courts in the country at the Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa. Today he keeps growing the game through iPadel Houston. Read Mike’s story.

Steven Harper: service on and off the court. A retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, Harper is Executive Director of Military Adaptive Court Sports (MACS), which brings court sports to disabled veterans and wounded warriors. MACS added padel in 2023, and Harper, often coaching from a wheelchair, has run padel clinics with VA Medical Centers from Washington, D.C., to the Bronx, Miami and Atlanta. Read Steven’s story.

Ana Magrini: the definition of service. For fifteen years, Magrini has served the US National Team as a player, delegate and, at times, an extra coach on the bench, all as a volunteer. She played six World Championships for the Absolute Team, and in September she served as delegate while helping the women’s Senior team win silver at the FIP Senior World Cup in Buenos Aires, the first World Cup final in U.S. padel history. Read Ana’s story.

“Presenting these first USA Padel Awards was one of the proudest moments of my time as president. Mike, Steven and Ana have given this sport decades of service, most of it far from the spotlight, and it was a privilege to finally say thank you in public. Each of them, in their own way, is the reason padel in America looks the way it does today,” said Bill Ullman, President of USA Padel.

More October Highlights

The action didn’t stop after Brooklyn. The rest of the month brought international competition to American courts and medals for U.S. teams abroad.

• Pan American Junior Circuit Finals, San Diego (Oct. 8–10): On home soil, the US National Junior Team won two titles, added two runner-up finishes, and reached the top four in five of six divisions. Recap
• Athena Padel Cup, Miami (Oct. 12–15): The inaugural women’s invitational, presented by GreenOak, brought players from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Mexico to Padel X. Recap
• Pan American Open Categories, Asunción, Paraguay (Oct. 21–24): The US Cat Libres National Team brought home two bronze medals. Recap
  
  

Looking Ahead to 2027

National Padel Month proved what the sport can do when clubs, players, partners, and the national governing body pull in the same direction.

“We created National Padel Month for one simple reason: to give more people across America the chance to discover this sport. What made it a success was the padel community itself. More than 75 clubs opened their doors to new players, our best athletes put on a show at the US Open, and we finally got to thank the people who built this game. We are already planning next October, and we want it to be even bigger,” said Scott Colebourne, Executive Director and CEO of USA Padel.

Thank you to every club, coach, volunteer, partner, and player who made the first National Padel Month a success. Didn’t make it to a clinic last October? The New Player Program Finder is still the easiest way to find beginner programs near you, and the full USA Padel calendar is live for the rest of the season.