Pittsburgh’s only place to play padel welcomes Alex Medina as Padel Director and Sebastian Lopez as Padel Pro, and sets a November weekend to introduce the sport to the City of Champions.
SEWICKLEY, Pa. (Oct. 20, 2026) – Pittsburgh’s padel scene just got its national credentials. Matt’s Pickle & Padel, the only place to play padel in the Pittsburgh region, has been named a USA Padel Premier Club by the United States Padel Association, the sport’s national governing body. The recognition arrives during National Padel Month, USA Padel’s October push to get new players on court. It also comes with two new additions to the club’s coaching staff: Alex Medina Puigmarti as Padel Director and Sebastian Lopez as Padel Pro.
Alex Medina
Alex is a former tennis player from Barcelona, Spain who competed in Division II tennis and achieved a national ranking of No. 19 in doubles. He's been playing padel since the age of 13 and won multiple junior padel tournaments.
With experience in developing players of all ages and skill levels from beginners to advanced players, he is passionate about helping players improve their technique, strategy, and overall game.
Alex has been instrumental in building and nurturing the padel program at Matt's. We're thrilled to welcome him to the leadership team and excited about the plans he has for this next chapter!
Premier Club status puts Matt’s on USA Padel’s national list of featured clubs, alongside facilities in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Nashville and Chicago. The designation, USA Padel’s highest club tier, clears Matt’s to host sanctioned tournaments at every level, from local 100-level events up to national 2000-level competition, along with Senior, Junior and league play. That means Pittsburgh players can chase USA Padel rankings without leaving town, and it opens the door for Sewickley to draw competitors, families and fans from across the region and beyond, adding padel to a city that already knows how to host big sporting weekends.
Padel (pronounced like “paddle,” but not to be confused with platform or paddle tennis) is a doubles racket sport played on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court. The glass walls are part of the game, so players can let the ball come off them and keep the rallies fast and exciting. Rackets are solid and stringless, and which one you use depends on how you play. More than 25 million people play worldwide, and the sport is climbing fast in the U.S. According to USA Padel, national membership grew 53.5% in 2025 and participation is up 250% since 2022.
“When we built Matt’s, we were betting that Pittsburgh would love padel once people actually tried it,” said Matt Ferrari, owner and founder of Matt’s Pickle & Padel. “Being named a USA Padel Premier Club tells us that bet is paying off, and it tells our players they’re part of something national. National Padel Month is the perfect reason to come find out what everyone’s talking about.”
New Leadership on Court
Alex Medina steps into the Padel Director role after helping build the club’s padel program from the ground up. He grew up in Barcelona, Spain, and has played padel since he was 13, winning multiple junior tournaments before competing in Division II college tennis, where he reached a national doubles ranking of No. 19. He has coached players at every age and level, from first-timers to advanced competitors, with a focus on technique, strategy and all-around game. As Padel Director, he oversees all padel programming, coaching and player development.
Sebastian Lopez
Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Sebastian Lopez is a former NCAA Division I tennis player for Morgan State University, where he competed in both singles and doubles and earned multiple conference honors throughout his collegiate career. He was part of Morgan State’s historic 2019 team that captured the first MEAC Men’s Tennis Championship in program history and earned the program its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
A well-rounded racquet sport athlete, Sebastian actively plays padel, tennis, pickleball, and platform tennis, giving him a unique understanding of how skills, strategy, and movement translate across each game. He brings that experience to his coaching, helping players improve their technique, positioning, court awareness, and partner play while developing a smarter, more confident approach to padel.
Sebastian Lopez joins as Padel Pro, leading clinics and private lessons for all levels. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Lopez played NCAA Division I tennis at Morgan State University, earning multiple conference honors in singles and doubles. He was part of the 2019 team that won the program’s first MEAC Men’s Tennis Championship and its first NCAA Tournament bid. Lopez plays padel, tennis, pickleball and platform tennis, and brings that cross-sport perspective to his coaching, with a focus on technique, positioning, court awareness and partner play. Both are part of the club’s coaching team of eight pro, semi-pro and former pro pickleball and padel instructors.
“I have found that nobody plays padel just once,” says Medina. “We’re building a culture of community and competition at Matt’s: players who compete hard, respect each other and show up the next week ready to go again. Next thing you know you have a regular group and a little bit of a rivalry going. Pittsburgh already has that mentality and now it has the courts. The level is only going up.”
Coming Next: Padel, Meet Pittsburgh!
Matt’s Pickle and Padel will mark its new status with Padel, Meet Pittsburgh!, a weekend of padel from Thursday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 14. NOX Padel and Siux Padel will be giving sneak peeks of their brand new 2027 lines, bringing demo racquets, custom fittings and a trunk show of new gear. Visiting pros will lead clinics, fittings and lessons all weekend before taking the court for exciting pro exhibition matches.
Thursday, Nov. 12: All-Access Preview. A ticketed evening with clinics led by Wright, private racquet fittings, early access to new gear from Siux and NOX, a catered preview party and NOX Open Play. Preview Passes are $80, or $100 with a clinic (limited to 24 spots).
Friday, Nov. 13: Main Event, 4–9 p.m. Free and open to the public, with beginner and intermediate clinics led by Medina Puigmarti and Lopez, fittings and demos, a pro exhibition match and an open “Beat the Pro” challenge. Food trucks and music run all evening, and because no welcome to this city is complete without one, there will be a Pittsburgh cookie table courtside.
Saturday, Nov. 14: Morning Session, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. More demos, fittings, clinics and the trunk show, with open play from 10 a.m. to noon. Open to the public, please register: book.mattspickleandpadel.com
Details and registration at mattspickleandpadel.com.
Where to Play Padel in Pittsburgh
Matt’s Pickle & Padel, located at 301 Deer Run Road in Sewickley, is currently the only facility in the Pittsburgh region with padel courts. The club hosts more than 3,500 players each month and offers:
Beginner clinics for players who have never been on a court
Intermediate and advanced clinics for players building skills and match play
Private and semi-private lessons with Medina, Lopez and the club’s excellent coaching team
Open Play sessions, where players are matched by level for social games
Leagues for players ready for weekly competition
VolleyAI Ball Machine sessions for solo practice and leveling up your game
Tournaments for all competitive levels
No membership is required to try padel. Courts, lessons and Open Play can be booked at book.mattspickleandpadel.com.
