Cage 91 Editor Daniel Alestrand had the opportunity to interview Aaron Hasnain and Frederik Wittrup, two individuals who are driving San Diego padel to new heights with Padel N9NE (P9). Dive into our in-depth conversation to learn about this 100,000+-Square-Feet Sorrento Valley Haven, their ambitious plans for the sport and how their vision is poised to reform the U.S. luxury padel scene.
Aaron Hasnain and Frederik Wittrup are on a mission to redefine the U.S. padel scene with Padel N9NE, an ambitious, high-end club set to open next month in San Diego. Hasnain, a biotech entrepreneur, first discovered padel in 2019 while visiting a friend in the Bahamas. That friend happened to have a mega yacht—complete with a private padel court. One game was all it took for him to get hooked. “I’ve been playing every day since,” Hasnain said. When he returned home to San Diego, he was determined to bring the sport with him. He built a court at his house, and before long, 200-300 people were showing up weekly to play. That’s when the lightbulb went off. “I thought—why don’t we create a club that is elevated, more affluent and rich with amenities to foster a “stay and play all day” atmosphere? A special place, like what’s happening in Miami and New York with the ultra-luxury clubs.”
Meanwhile, Wittrup was already deeply embedded in the European padel scene. Hailing from Denmark, he had played soccer his whole life, but when the icy winters made outdoor sports difficult, he and his friends turned to padel. When he moved to the U.S. three years ago, “there weren’t many Americans playing—mostly international players, but I knew it was going to boom” he recalled, seeing a pattern from three years ago with Scandinavia, Belgium, and Italy. “I wanted to go from tech into something I was truly passionate about,” he said. When he and Aaron met, heard about the vision for P9, he immediately knew he wanted in.
The idea for Padel N9NE truly took shape when Hasnain approached Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE), the largest biotech real estate developer in the country. Coincidentally, Alexandria had been planning to build a pickleball facility on one of their many San Diego campus’, but Hasnain saw a bigger opportunity. “I told them, ‘Pickleball is great, but padel is the future,’” he said. The first club is set to open in April on ARE’s campus, featuring eight courts—six for social play and two stadium courts capable of seating up to 500 spectators. “This isn’t just any old padel club,” Hasnain emphasized. “We’re bringing in Adidas, a well established brand here in the U.S., to provide world-class padel courts, partnering with adjacent restaurants and we’re thinking about every single detail with the customer and our members in mind.”
But Padel N9NE isn’t just about the sport—it’s about the entire experience. “The social aspect is just as important as the courts,” Hasnain said. The club will feature a massive premium clubhouseand viewing terrace equipped with a bespoke retail experience, check-in desk, lounge, executive showers, and a range of dining options, including Puesto, a popular and high-end Mexican eatery, and several other options. “We’re creating an atmosphere where you can spend the whole day,” he explained. “You can come in, play, workout in the fitness center, recover, take a shower, grab food, maybe even get some work done in the co-working spaces.” Unlike most padel clubs, which operate on either a pay-per-play or standard membership model, P9 is designed more like a luxury country club. Memberships start at $199 per month for unlimited padel access, with a higher tier at $349 that includes all adjacent Alexandria amenities. “It’s custom, premium, and elevated,” Hasnain said.
One of the key reasons Padel N9NE can offer this level of luxury is its witty, strategic approach to real estate. Wittrup highlighted the financial challenges many clubs face. “In cities like Miami and LA, real estate is so expensive that it’s hard to make the numbers work in your favor,” he said. “Right now, padel can’t yet carry full market price for prime locations, so you have to be smart and minimize your overheads without sacrificing the customers premium experience.” Hasnain pointed to creative solutions emerging in markets like LA, where padel clubs are popping up on the top of parking structures. “The economics don’t work if you’re paying too much in rent, so we had to think ahead,” he explained. By partnering with ARE and positioning ourselves within an existing corporate campus, we have found a way to bring a high-end club experience to a market that’s ready for it.
Beyond the club itself, Padel N9NE is positioned to be a driving force in the growth of padel across the U.S. “On a surface level, we want Padel N9NE to represent what the sport means to us,” Hasnain said. “That feeling of obsession—you play once, and you’re hooked. We want to create as many fans as possible by offering flawless, pristine and safe courts, an unparalleled customer experience, and a community that keeps people feeling welcomed and coming back.” With their facility’s scale, amenities, and location, they’re also able to and planning to host major tournaments alongside developing professional padel careers in the U.S. Even during large-scale events, there’s no concern about parking, as the site features an exclusive, private parking level in the architecturally striking and Instagram-worthy parkade. “We’re padel purists,” Hasnain said. “We’re building something incredibly special, not just for the business, but for the sport itself.”
Padel N9NE’s corporate connections will also be a major asset in growing the game. Located in the heart of ARE’s campus, the club will be surrounded by over 1,500 employees from companies like Meta, Samsung, PlayStation, and leading biotech firms. “These are exactly the kind of people who will embrace a premium padel experience,” Hasnain said. He also sees massive potential for high-profile brand partnerships. “Adidas is already a sponsor, but I’d love to see brands like Porsche, Rolex, luxury fashion brands and even Meta’s logo on our glass walls one day.”
The club is also set to become a hub for corporate networking and events. “Just last week, a major healthcare firm and investment bank reached out,” Hasnain shared. “They want to host their 2025 event at a padel club to introduce CEOs to the sport. Right now, it’s happening at my house—but in a few months, Padel N9NE would be the perfect place for it.” As Padel N9NE prepares to open, Hasnain and Wittrup are already looking ahead. “The mission is to get our first San Diego location right and absolutely knock it out of the park,” Hasnain said. “But after that, we’re thinking big— multiple other locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, New York and beyond.”
While the vision is ambitious, the journey to bring it to life hasn’t been without challenges. “One of the biggest hurdles in the U.S. is dealing with regulations and permitting,” Hasnain explained. “California in particular has incredibly strict building codes, and we didn’t want to cut any corners and risk liability as the company matures.” Unlike some clubs that rush to open without proper permits or properly vetting the various court options on the market, Hasnain and Wittrup took the time to do everything the right way. “It took over a year to navigate, but we wanted to set the standard for what a true luxury padel club should feel like, play like and look like.”
The total cost of the project is forecasted to be upwards of $20 million US dollars; with $3.5 million already raised, assistance from a development partner and more funding rounds on the horizon, they’re gearing up to make Padel N9NE the gold standard of padel in the U.S. “The world is our oyster,” Hasnain said with a smile. “And we’re just getting started.”
