Region's 1st padel courts headed to Aleppo
A 30,500-square-foot warehouse is being transformed into the first padel courts in Western Pennsylvania.
Matt Ferrari, CEO of Gamma Sports, a tennis and pickleball equipment company based in Pittsburgh, is building four indoor padel courts and six indoor pickleball courts in Aleppo, close to Sewickley.
Dubbed Matt’s Pickle & Padel, it is set to open by the beginning of March.
Padel is similar to platform tennis, also known as paddle tennis. Played on an artificial turf in an enclosed court surrounded by tempered glass, padel is mostly a doubles game. The ball is akin to a tennis ball, though smaller and lighter with a softer bounce. Like platform tennis, players hit shots off the walls. Padel follows the same scoring as tennis.
“There are a total of 180 padel courts in the U.S. and we will have four of them,” said Josh Taylor-Martin, vice president for Matt’s Pickle & Padel.
Developed in Mexico, padel became popular in Europe. In recent years, it has come to more affluent neighborhoods in the U.S., largely because of the cost to build a court. While the club declined to disclose the cost of a court, according to padelnettsetters.com, it ranges from $50,000 to $100,000, depending on materials, location and extras such as seating, landscaping and lighting. The turf padel courts at Matt’s are coming in from Spain and are expected to arrive sometime this month.
The United States Padel Association’s first annual report highlights the sport’s growth across the country over the past few years. The total number of members has increased from 163 in 2020 to 1,917 in 2024. As of the end of 2024, the association had 53 total member clubs around the country.
Ferrari said they’ve been in search of a location for three years. This one works well because it has plenty of space and is accessible to Interstate 79 and Route 65.
“Various communities can access it,” said Taylor-Martin. “We want to have something for everyone. It’s about embracing the community. There is a lot of buzz and excitement about this.”
Pickleball is already well known as the fastest-growing sport in the United States. Players use a paddle that’s larger than a ping pong paddle but smaller than a tennis racket. In padel, players use a racket that is short, solid and stringless with holes on its face.
Ferrari said what makes padel and pickleball attractive is the smaller court size, making them cross-generational sports — grandparents can play the game with their grandchildren. The sports are also viewed by some as the new golf, where business people connect on the court. The courts can be used for company team-building outings.
“If you play twice a week or more, a membership would be great for you,” said Jason Belcher, club manager for Matt’s Pickle & Padel. “We invite people to come out and have fun.”
Student, seniors, regular and ultra membership packages are available. Professionals will be on site for lessons for all skill levels.
The cost is priced at a per-hour rate for pickleball and per 90-minute rate for padel. Equipment for players to try, including some adaptive equipment, is offered.
“We want to knock down any barriers there are for people who want to try this,” said Ferrari. “We know what we do well and that is rackets — so this was a natural extension.”
There is a social, wellness and competitive element to the game that people love, said Amie Stanton, vice president of marketing for Gamma Sports.
“This is a place where a community of people who enjoy playing racquet sports can play,” Ferrari said. “Gamma has always been super player-focused. When you try something new, it can be intimidating. We don’t want that. We want this to be enjoyable. We want people to never stop playing.”
Matt’s Pickle & Padel is located at 301 Deer Run Road, Aleppo. A grand opening is scheduled for March 29. Hours will be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
Details: mattspickleandpadel.com
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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