The big moment is set for Wednesday, March 19, on the “Juan & Bela” court at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Brittany Dubins, the top-ranked U.S. player and a key figure in Team USA, is ready to make her debut at the motorola razr Miami Premier Padel P1. Waiting for her in the third match of Day 2 (starting at 10 AM) will be Ale Salazar and Veronica Virseda, the tournament’s No. 7 seeds, alongside her partner Marta Morga. It’s an unforgettable moment at the first-ever Premier Padel Tour event in the U.S., made even more special by what Miami means to Brittany. “This is my hometown, so I’ll be playing against one of the best pairs in the world in front of my parents and closest friends”, says Dubins, who was already at the Convention Center on Monday to train and soak in the unique tournament atmosphere. Also cheering her on from the stands will be journalists from the University of Miami, where Brittany graduated from law school. “It’s a dream come true—I’m beyond excited”, she admits.
Miami will mark Dubins’ third appearance in the main draw of a Premier Padel tournament, following last year’s P2 in Puerto Cabello (Venezuela) and the Major in Mexico. Less than 24 hours before this milestone in her career, Dubins shares her expectations: “These will definitely be two of the toughest opponents I’ve ever faced. They both have incredible careers and a ton of experience. But I just want to enjoy every point. I know I’ll be nervous, but I want to relax and have fun, savoring every moment. I’m playing with a good friend I teamed up with at the FIP World Padel Championships last year in Doha, so I really want to embrace this experience—because moments like these don’t happen every day.”
Beyond her personal excitement, Dubins believes that the Miami Premier Padel event will be a turning point for the sport in the U.S.: “This is just the beginning of a major boom”, she continues. “Padel clubs are already opening everywhere, and this week, there’s even a padel tournament at the Miami Open. People are talking a lot about this sport, and I believe this is just the start of something big across the U.S”
After this historic moment, both personally and for U.S. padel, Dubins is already focused on her next goals: “I want to play full-time on the Premier Padel circuit and climb the rankings. I want to travel and compete in as many tournaments as possible. It’s an ambitious goal, but I’ll keep training hard to make it happen”.