How Padel Became Founders’ Favorite Sport

Entrepreneurs are flocking to tennis’s cooler cousin—for competitive socializing and business opportunities on and off the court.

BY ALI DONALDSON, STAFF REPORTER @ALICDONALDSON

Two years ago, Jon Krieger had never played padel. Today, the 45-year-old typically hits for three hours a day, five or six days a week, and keeps an extra pair of gym shorts and his crisp white On tennis shoes in his office — ready to jump onto a court and fill in if someone’s foursome comes up short. That’s the job when you’re also the founder and CEO of a rapidly growing padel club.

During the pandemic, Krieger, uprooted his family from their Manhattan apartment and landed in Tenafly, New Jersey. With two kids and a new suburb to figure out, he also had a familiar itch to find the next big thing.

Often compared to pickleball, padel is more of a........

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