IF PADEL WERE OLYMPIC IN 2032?

USA ONLY HAS AN “ACE IN ITS SLEEVE”

If padel were to be Olympic in 2032, Team USA’s medal chances would be practically zero; but it has an “ace up its sleeve”
Despite being the usual leader in the Olympic medal table, the United States is years behind other countries in padel.

As shown in the ranking table on the left, the top positions are occupied by players from other countries, especially Spaniards and Argentinians who seek to be “mouseheads” and come in search of the “American dream” where they can aspire to achieve success and a certain notoriety in a much younger and therefore much less competitive territory.

But what’s worrying for the future of padel in the USA is that while the sport is growing enormously at the amateur level, it’s not at the youth level. The average age of players is 40 and older.

And if that weren’t enough, the outlook is quite sad, as hardly any youth players are playing in USA,
while other countries have a guaranteed future by developing excellent work with the younger generations. In the case of the USA, they’re building from the bottom up.

But the United States has an ace up its sleeve; it is the girl Ornella Beltramino, who despite being from the USA and against all odds has become the best in the world in the Under 12 category. This feat is close to a miracle and may be the driving force and the mirror for many boys and girls in the USA to encourage them to play padel.

In fact, Ornella recently had to move to Spain, where the best players are, because in the United States she wouldn’t be able to compete with girls her age.

“Ornella is special; she has all the qualities, but she also enjoys training and smiles all the time. I’ve never encountered so much talent and attitude combined”.

“She’s still very young, and the important thing is that she enjoys it, but for me, it’s a challenge to coach her because I’ve never encountered someone with these characteristics,” Claudio Gilardoni stated.

I’ve never encountered so much attitude and talent combined in such a young girl.

Claudio Gilardoni, Paula Jose María’s Coach.

Claudio Gilardoni, Ornella y Paula Jose Maria training at Universal Academy

Padel in the United States is just starting to crawl, and everyone looks to this country with high expectations, but as of today, and realistically speaking, there are barely any children on the padel courts. That’s why Ornella’s case is even more commendable, and although she needs to be freed from any pressure, it should be supported in her training so she can continue fighting to achieve her goals. Perhaps her story will inspire many children to start playing padel. A similar story to that of Spaniard Carolina Marin in badminton.