AO Ventures, the investment arm of the Australian Open and Tennis Australia, is funding Padel Haus, a U.S.-based operator of padel clubs
The appeal of padel is only growing, made evident by the racket sport’s global popularity from the U.S. to South America to Australia, where the sport has received its latest significant investment.
AO Ventures, the investment arm of the Australian Open and Tennis Australia, is investing in American brand Padel Haus in a major new partnership.
While the exact amount invested wasn’t disclosed, it’s the fourth investment from AO Ventures’ $40 million fund, as the capital fund is confident in the future of padel and continues investing in the sport through a variety of domestic and international partnerships. Created in Mexico in the 1960s, padel is commonly viewed as a cross between tennis and squash.
“As a business, we have observed the explosion of the sport internationally and there are now strong foundations for growth in Australia, with courts, clubs and competitions continuing to be established,” said AO Ventures General Partner Dr. Machar Reid.
Padel Haus currently operates six padel clubs across the U.S. after landing $7 million in a Series B funding round last year, as the brand plans for continued growth.
In 2025, a report from Syracuse University predicted the U.S. would hit 30,000 padel courts by 2030 amid rising demand.
“This opportunity represents more than an investment,” said Padel Haus founder and CEO Santiago Gomez. “Tennis Australia is one of the most respected sports institutions in the world, and AO Ventures’ decision to invest in Padel Haus is a powerful validation of our long-term approach to building padel the right way.”
Gomez noted that while padel is still early in its global growth, the partnership helps accelerate possibilities moving forward.
“Partnering with AO Ventures and Tennis Australia, which bring more than 120 years of experience building global sports platforms, creates a credible pathway for continued expansion,” he said.
Racket sports on the whole are seeing record popularity, reflected in the 2025 Garmin Connect Data Report, which revealed that racket sports like padel led year-over-year growth in participation, growing 67% in 2025.
