The US National Padel Team completed its America Padel Cup matchup against Ecuador in Quito this past weekend, losing narrowly 5-4 in the overall tie. Competing across men’s and women’s absolute and under-18 divisions at La Pala club in Quito, Ecuador, the American delegation faced a formidable Ecuadorian squad. 

Day 1: Ecuador Makes Home Advantage Count

Ecuador controlled the opening day from start to finish, but the American squad made them earn it across all three categories. Pablo Aviña and Camilo Velasco Franco set the tone for the day in the U18 boys’ match, pushing the match to a third set before Ecuador’s Agustin Alvarez and Anthony Delgado Cedeño steadied to take the match. It was a competitive start for the American juniors, who showed they could match the quality of the opposition point-for-point. 

Roberta Berlanga and Delfina Inza were up next in the U18 girls’ category, facing a composed Ecuador pairing in Isabella Gaviria Abuhayar and Sara Gomez. Berlanga, who reached the round of 16 at the FIP Junior World Cup in Spain last fall, and Inza competed with commitment throughout, and the experience of going through a full international team tie away from home is exactly the kind of preparation that pays off down the road. Clementina Riobueno and Dhanielly Quevedo closed out the day in the women’s absolute against Alejandra Alvarez and Sara Alvarez. It was a tough start for a pairing that would look very different when the two sides met again on the final day.

Under 18 – Men’s

Under 18 – Women’s

Women’s Absolute

Day 2: Americans Bounce Back with Strong Performances

The American squad came out with a different energy on Day 2 and put up three of the competition’s best performances. Vinny Di Francesco and Clementina Riobueno opened the day in the mixed category and were dominant from the first game against Ecuador’s Darek Figueroa and Ana Paula Gamarra. It was a clean, controlled performance that reflected the level both players bring to the national team program and gave the delegation an immediate lift after a difficult opening day. Berlanga and Inza returned to the court in the U18 girls’ draw, facing a different Ecuadorian pairing, Isabella Gaviria Abuhayar and Angeline Guerrero. Competing on back-to-back days against strong junior opposition is demanding, and though the result didn’t go their way, both players added another layer of international match experience to their development. Di Francesco and Nico Agritelley closed Day 2 with the result the program needed. The two highest-ranked American men on the FIP circuit were sharp throughout, winning a tight first set in a tiebreak before pulling clear in the second against Sebastian Armijos and Estefano Montoya. It was a professional performance from a pairing among the most experienced in the US program, and it swung the day decisively in the USA’s favor.

Mixed

Under 18 – Women’s

Men’s Absolute

Day 3: USA Closes the Trip on a High

The final day produced the best padel of the entire trip, with the American squad winning two of the three matches and closing the tie on a high note. Aviña and Velasco Franco returned in the U18 boys’ draw looking to build on the fight they had shown on Day 1, but Alvarez and Delgado Cedeño were in control throughout, taking the match 6-3, 6-4. Over the course of the tie, both American juniors went through a full international team competition format that few players their age get to experience, and that will matter as they continue to develop through the US junior pathway. The standout match of the entire trip came in the women’s absolute rematch. Riobueno and Quevedo, who had gone down in straight sets on Day 1, came back with a completely different performance. After dropping the opening set 2-6, the pair rallied to take the second 6-4 and then held their nerve through a tight third, closing it out 7-5. It was a composed, character-driven result that gave the whole delegation something to celebrate as they headed into the final match of the trip. Di Francesco and Agritelley made sure the USA finished strong. Against the same Armijos and Montoya pairing they had beaten on Day 2, the American duo was even sharper this time, taking the match 6-2, 6-3 in a performance that left no doubt. Back-to-back wins across two days to close out the competition were the right note to end on.

Under 18 – Men’s

Women’s Absolute

Men’s Absolute

Building toward what comes next

Ecuador played well on home soil and deserved the overall result. Competing in Quito, at altitude, in a head-to-head team format where every match matters to the overall tie, is a different kind of pressure than anything the domestic circuit offers. The American players who made this trip experienced that pressure firsthand, which is precisely the point.

Head Coach Jacobo Blanco reflected on what the three days meant for the program. “This trip was about more than results. Every player on this delegation competed with pride and gave everything they had on the court. The experience of competing in this format and environment is something you cannot replicate at home. We take a lot of positives back with us.”

Assistant Coach Mariana Talarico highlighted the growth she saw from the junior players across the competition. “Watching our juniors compete in a full international team tie was really special. They faced tough opposition every day and never stopped competing. That mentality is exactly what we are building toward. These are the matches that will shape who they become as players.”

Team Delegate Tomas Galvez Santaella spoke to the broader significance of the trip for the US program. “Getting our players into these environments consistently is what moves the program forward. The America Padel Cup provides a competitive platform that challenges our athletes and accelerates their development. Quito was a valuable experience for everyone involved, and we will be back.”

The men’s Day 3 performance from Di Francesco and Agritelley, the women’s ability to regroup after a tough opener, and the junior players completing a full international team competition all feed into the broader work the USPA is doing to put American players on the international stage more regularly. The America Padel Cup is part of a structured pathway that gives players at every level of the national program the competitive environment they need to keep improving. Quito is a step on that road, and the team will be better for having taken it.

The US National Padel Teams are proudly supported by Bullpadel, VanEck, Padel Haus, Padelmba, Chosen Foods, and Bullpadel – The official ball of the USPA.