For Jay Sawhney, a dedicated racquet sport player living on New York’s Upper West Side, the love of the game is what initially got him to New Jersey.

“Although I live in the city, Cresskill is an easy drive,” Sawhney told The Post. “Even with a bit of traffic, the experience is more than worth the trip.”

The experience he’s referring to is padel, an increasingly popular fast-paced racquet sport that combines moves from tennis and squash.

And despite a long history of New Yorkers pooh-poohing anything and everything on the other side of the Hudson River, he’s not the only Manhattanite making the trek to the Garden State to play.

Yes, sometimes New Yorkers choose to go to New Jersey — and these days, padel is getting them there. Stefan Jeremiah for New York Post

Finding space to play and recover

Hailed as the “next pickleball,” padel is played on a court roughly one-third the size of a tennis court with glass walls and has more than 30 million players around the world.

A US league, the Pro Padel League, even launched in 2023, with teams representing major cities like New York, Miami and Las Vegas.

But even with seven registered padel clubs in New York, including multiple locations in Brooklyn and East Hampton, Sawhney still chooses to drive anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to get to Padel United, a Cresskill-based padel club that boasts upscale amenities such as a spa, yoga classes and a state-of-the-art biohacking chamber known as the Ammortal Chamber.

He first started making the journey for the same reason many people leave the city — more space.

“With 38,000 square feet of space, [it’s] far larger than anything you’ll find in Manhattan,” the 32-year-old city dweller said.

Jay Sawhney lives on New York’s Upper West Side, but goes to Padel United because it’s much bigger than anything in Manhattan. Stefan Jeremiah for New York Post

He also found that the club fosters a “strong sense of community,” and between the sport and the Ammortal Chamber, he’s seen improvements in his sleep, energy — and padel performance.

More than a game

At first, curiosity was what compelled Lisa Merkatz, another Upper West Side resident, out to Jersey. Her son was talking about it nonstop and wanted to learn — and since she’s a self-proclaimed “lifelong racquet sport enthusiast,” she was intrigued too.

She began looking into clubs and soon found herself drawn into the amenities the New Jersey club offered, including multiple indoor courts, a gym, sauna, cold plunge pools and a lap pool. And as soon as she got there, she was hooked.

The New Yorkers heading to Cresskill all have cars in the city and insist the drive isn’t too bad. Stefan Jeremiah for New York Post

“From the very first lesson, I knew this was my sport,” she said, adding that the club was “filled with the kind of energy that made me instantly want to return and eventually join.”

The long drive and possibility of gridlock aren’t a problem. She goes three or four times a week, planning her work schedule and other activities around clinics and games.

“The commute? Honestly, it’s no different from heading downtown or across town in Manhattan — and the bridge toll is comparable to congestion pricing,” she said.

She’s met similarly committed fans. In the Hamptons, she met players who showed no surprise that she crossed the bridge to play.

“Once you’re hooked on a sport, you’ll do whatever it takes to make it part of your life,” she said.

They also like the amenities, including an Ammortal Chamber, a state-of-the-art biohacking chamber. Stefan Jeremiah for New York Post

Possibly the most unexpected benefit for her, though, is the company she’s found through the sport and at the club by venturing outside her city bubble.

“In my busy New York routine, I wouldn’t normally cross paths with such a diverse and friendly community,” she said. “Familiar faces are turning into new friends — a gift, since making new friends later in life can be hard. This club has provided me with a new community, and that’s something I truly value.”

Finding community at a reasonable cost

Jonathan Cherki started making his own trips from the Upper West Side to Padel United after hearing rave reviews from friends.

Jonathan Cherki, pictured with friends on a padel court, said he makes the trip a few times a week.

“While there are a few places to play padel in NYC, I love escaping the hustle of the city to play my favorite sport,” he said, calling the drive “more than worth it.”

“I typically come to play a few times a week, and in that time, I have made a ton of great friends, improved my padel skills and regularly incorporated the club’s amenities into daily routines,” he said.

The price was “another major draw.” An all-access membership starts at $275 a month (or $2,750 annually) and includes padel clinics, complimentary lessons and access to the spa as well as fitness, yoga and breath work classes.

An all-access membership starts at $399 a month and includes padel clinics, complimentary lessons, access to the spa, free fitness, yoga and breath work classes. Stefan Jeremiah for New York Post

Building a lifestyle hotspot

For Merkatz, the New Jersey space has certainly brought together stress relief in a top-end setting, despite the drive. It’s become her “personal downtime” and “a chance to clear my head.”

“[It] makes it possible for me to play without stress — and for me, it’s absolutely worth the trip,” she added.

Cherki agrees. “[It] has helped me in so many ways,” he said. “I feel more fit, more energized and more in tune with my overall wellness. It’s truly been a great experience.”

For the New Yorkers who still can’t get over their Jersey-phobia, Padel United CEO Jonathan Krieger says there are more locations in Westchester, Long Island and Connecticut in the pipeline.