A smash hit: Padel brings new spin to Wisconsin sports, thanks to former pro player turned Milwaukeean

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It's not every day that a new sport moves into an old city.

But now Milwaukee is home to what may be some of the first courts in Wisconsin for Padel -- one of the fastest growing games in the world.

You play in doubles, and it's essentially a mix of tennis, pickleball, racquetball, and squash.

“The turf is similar as in tennis, we have the glass like in squash, the racquet is kind of like a pickleball racquet or paddle platform racquet, so we are going to say it is a mix of other racquet sports," said Rodrigo Alvarez, the proud owner of Padel MKE. “You bounce the ball, you hit the ball, it always crosses on the serve, from there everything is its own game.”

The game is scored like in tennis, and you play several sets. 

But unlike other games, you can use the court's surrounding glass walls to bounce the ball off of -- and you can even run outside of the court if necessary to keep the ball in play.

"There's no rules once the ball bounces," Alvarez said. “It is a lot of strategy, more strategy than tennis or pickleball, so here, you need to be fast.”

While it isn't quite as popular yet in America, it is common in Latin America and Europe.

For Alvarez, he was a child living in Mexico when his family first taught him how to play.

Years later, he began playing professionally. 

“I think sometimes that I’m still being that child because once you’re in the court, you don’t care how old you are," Alvarez said. 

But when he and his wife, Meggan, moved to Milwaukee three years ago, Alvarez said he was forced to quit because there wasn't a place to train, hence the grand opening of Padel MKE.

But besides the courts, there's also gym equipment, air hockey, couches, and a bar counter with coffee and treats. 

“We are definitely trying to create an environment here that’s more than just the Padel, we’re trying to create an environment where people can hang out for a long time," Meggan said. “We’re creating a community, and everyone who comes here is really great, everyone’s so nice, so it’s a lot of fun.”

Plus, it's friendly to all ages and skill levels.

Rusty Long and Matt Flack have played racquet sports for years -- and they were especially excited to learn of Padel's opening.

“It’s just very fun, it’s really fun, and it’s also complex, it’s three-dimensional," Long said. “The other thing that’s so cool about this place down here is the vibe is great because everybody’s having fun.”

Flack agreed, noting they try to go multiple times a week.

“You already have a community here. It grew so fast, and women and men are here all the time," Flack said. "It’s like hey, good to see you again, how’s it going, so it’s just really great.”

If you want to try Padel out for yourself, Alvarez offers a free 30-minute session to test out the game.

He also provides racquets and balls for rent, training sessions, and monthly memberships.

“I did this for the community, but for me too because I love this sport and I want to keep it growing around the world," Alvarez said. 

Padel MKE is located at 737 W Cleveland Ave. and is open seven days a week.