US junior padel players given new international opportunities

This summer junior US padel players will have the chance to both represent their country and test their skills internationally as opportunities in the sport continue to increase. 

The 2025 Pan American Junior Circuit is pitting Padel America-affiliated nations against each other throughout the summer. It features four players in each of the three boys and girls divisions, and for the first time will include the ‘Futuras Estrellas Padel America’, the fourth and final tournament on the circuit, where only the top six ranked pairs in each category compete to be crowned champions of the circuit. 

US National Junior Team coach Lorena Rouillon Jimenez is working hard to develop the next generation of US padel players, travelling extensively nationwide to identify and train youth players with potential.

In an interview with Padel Business Magazine, she explained how much young American padel players continue to progress as they prepare to compete in the Pan American Circuit.

Rouillon Jimenez and her brother Jaume coach the girls and boys US National Junior Teams, respectively. Rouillon Jimenez outlined the journey they’ve taken over the last year to build up a pool of talented junior players.

“It's been one of the most beautiful experiences, but also very challenging to find many players of each category”, she said.

“So that's why we have to travel around the US to try and find more kids. We try to contact all the coaches and invite all the kids, and then whoever we feel has a lot of potential to be in the US team, then we offer them to make the applications.”

The Pan American Junior Circuit began on 6 June in Chile, with other stops on the circuit coming in Mexico on July 24-26 and Brazil on August 28-30. The final stop will be in the US in September, with dates and venues due to be confirmed soon. 

Despite not having enough players to compete in the first circuit in Chile, Rouillon Jimenez is confident that their recruiting efforts will field a competitive team.

“Last year was the first year that we were able to beat many countries”, she said. “Before, they were not trained by my brother and I. We want to change all of that. We started coaching a few kids and it started growing and growing and growing. Everybody got really interested.”

Padel in the US still has a long way to catch up with its neighbours on the continent, but Rouillon Jimenez is optimistic about the progress.

“Last month, I was in Austin, Texas and we got 20 kids, which was impressive because before we have never done that”, she said.

“Soon, I'm sure we're gonna need more coaches as well because we cannot train the kids, for example, in Texas.”

She added: “This is for sure changing so much and growing so much. And all the players now they wanna be part of the US team. You cannot imagine how many kids you get that want the training.”

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