The fourth edition of the FIP Senior World Cup, the largest in the event’s history, has wrapped up in Buenos Aires, and the USA Women’s team is heading home with its best-ever finish on the international stage: a runner-up trophy for the women’s team.
Women’s Team Makes History with Silver Medal
The USA women’s team turned in the strongest performance by an American senior squad in the tournament’s four editions, reaching the final for the first time ever before falling to four-time defending champions Spain.
The road to the final ran through a stacked Group G, where the USA and Mexico faced off in a group deciding match. The USA-Mexico national team rivalry remains the biggest for our teams, and this match was a continuation of that, with each match being fiercely contested. Ultimately, victories to Ana Magrini-Lisa Teer, Veronica Costabel-Nancy Dingwall, and Egle Petrauskaite-Ana Zubori sealed the win and top place in group G.
In the quarterfinals against the heavy favorites and second-seeded French team, the ladies went down 0-2 in the first to 3 matches format. At this stage, it was looking like the team had performed well enough for a top 8 finish, but would progress no further. However, the players refused to lie down, and a rally began. Petrauskaite and Zubori swiftly dispatched their French opponents, inspiring hope. What followed was some of the grittiest padel ever seen in a USA uniform. In a two-hour match, Andi Neugarten and Rhona Kaczmarczyk prevailed 10-7 in the third set tiebreak to even the scores at 2-2. Setting up Magrini and Teer to compete for a spot in the semi-finals. In another two-hour match, the USA ladies came back from losing the first set to secure victory 10-6 in the third set tiebreak! At this stage, a top-four finish was guaranteed, and the team could be satisfied with their progress.
However, the ladies weren’t done. In the semi-finals against the sixth-seeded Belgium team, the USA started played some of their best padel of the tournament and victories from Petrauskaite – Zubori, Neugarten – Kaczmarczyk, and Magrini – Teer sent the entire team into celebration as they secured their place in a historic first final for USA at a padel World Cup!
In the final, the USA faced an extremely strong Spanish team, with the majority of the Spanish team being former professional players on various world tours throughout the history of padel. Spain proved too strong, claiming their fourth consecutive FIP Senior World Cup title.
Still, silver represents a major breakthrough for the program. The women’s team improved dramatically on their 7th-place finish at the 2024 edition in La Nucía, and their run to the final is the best result by a USA team in any World Cup.
With this milestone, our team is proudly crowned Amateur World Champion. This is an immense achievement, especially considering that the players representing Spain are all former professionals. In the global world of padel, reaching the number two spot is the absolute highest peak that women can possibly achieve.
Men’s Team Battles to a top 12 place.
The USA men’s team was drawn into Group E alongside Italy, Japan, and Ireland. On the first two days, the USA recorded comprehensive 5-0 victories against Japan and Ireland, respectively. The pivotal match of the group featured the undefeated USA against the undefeated Italy and came down to the wire. Tied at 2-1, with victories from Jared Palmer and Marco Mazzotta, Jose De Armas and Juan Arraya, Paco Riveroll and JP Arizpe went down 6-4 in the third against a strong Italian team, which tied the match at 2-2, before Italy took the final match and topped the group stage, and they moved into the quarterfinals. For the USA men, this was agonizingly close to the top-eight finish they had all been playing and dreaming for.
The men’s team rebounded the next day against Belgium, securing victory with wins from Marco Mazzotta and Marco Alvarez, Jose De Armas and Juan Arraya, Larry Pascal and Ron Bobman, John Chun and Alex O’Brien.
The men finished the tournament with a tough loss against the strong Brazil team.
“We couldn’t be prouder of both teams this week. To see the women’s team make history and reach their first-ever final is a testament to the depth of talent we have in this country, and the men fought hard against one of the toughest fields we’ve ever faced. Every player who put on this jersey represented the United States with pride, and this is only the beginning for USA Padel on the world stage.” – Bill Ullman, USA Padel President.
“This is an immense achievement, with this milestone, our team feels proudly that we are “Amateur” World Champions. Considering that the players representing Spain are all former professional players. In the global world of padel, reaching the number two spot is the absolute highest peak that women from outside of Spain can possibly achieve.” USA Delegate Ana Magrini.
“I warned that our girls, without pressure, that we would be the “true dark horse.” We had a lot of injury and illness problems during the week but they all gave everything so that we only see Spain above us, but they’re from another planet. We dreamed it and we achieved it! They achieved it because they believed it wasn’t impossible” Team Coach Angel Espadas.
Women’s Team:
Egle Petrauskaite, Desiree Seilhamer, Ana Marija Zubori, Catherine Galvin, Natalia De Biasi, Annica Cooper, Nancy Dingwall, Mariana Talarico, Mia Sierra, Ana Magrini, Lisa Teer, Sarah Padgitt, Veronica Costabel, Andi Neugarten-Maio, Laurie Tinnell, Rhona Kaczmarczyk
Men’s Team:
Jose Arizpe, Paco Riveroll, Tres Davis, Jose De Armas, Juan Arraya, Marco Mazzotta, Rudi Kalil, Marco Alvarez, Jared Palmer, John Chun, Javier Maldonado, Alex O’Brien, Ron Bobman, Gabriel Sánchez Iniesta, Larry Pascal
Coaches:
Angel Espadas, Antonio Martínez, Gabriel Ferrer, Marcelo Perez Roncevic
Delegates:
Ana Magrini and Mario Adolfo Guevara
Looking Ahead
With the women’s team’s breakthrough final and the men’s team logging valuable rounds against a record 32-nation field, USA Padel enters the next cycle with real momentum. Both squads will look to carry this progress forward as international competition continues to grow across the sport.
The US National Teams are proudly sponsored by Psycho Bunny.