Ornella Beltramino, USA’s young talent celebrates victory on her Doha debut: “I study online, make friends through padel and train, but today I’m dreaming big”

The American, one of the youngest players at the FIP World Cup, marked her first-ever appearance in the competition with a win. “It’s incredible to beat Portugal’s top-seeded team. My goal? To become one of the world’s top-ranked players”

 

DOHA – The open smile of someone who has just touched the sky with her racket. A victory on her world cup debut, something she must have imagined countless times while living a life split between Miami and Spain, with a dream as big as the world. American Ornella Beltramino is one of the youngest players at the FIP World Cup 2026, and she made her debut one to remember. On Day 1 in Doha, the USA lost to Portugal, but Ornella and her partner Marta Morga came from behind to beat the Portuguese pair Silva/Santos (1-6 6-4 6-4) in the final match of the tie, securing a valuable win for the team – one whose importance will become clearer at the end of the group stage – and for her personally.

 

“It was a very difficult match, so I’m happier than ever. We were playing against the top-seeded team in our group, a really strong side. To come away with the win was incredible,” she says. The achievement was all the sweeter given the emotion of competing at her first World Cup, which she felt particularly in the opening set. “The start was really tough. I was very nervous and it was impossible to play well. But the support from the whole team and from the people who were there for me – the crowd and my parents – helped me so much. It was as if I managed to find strength somewhere. It was a fantastic experience,” Beltramino continues.

 

Born in Miami to a family of Italian heritage, Ornella now lives her life on opposite sides of an ocean. “I train and compete in Spain, in Alicante, but I also live in Miami. I do both. And it took me thirteen hours to get to Doha with my parents – it was quite a long journey!” she laughs. As a student, Ornella has also adapted her education to a daily routine built around training and tournaments. “Studying is important, and you have to make some sacrifices. As for school, I study through a Florida-based institution that provides online lessons, so I do all my homework and tests virtually, but I put in a lot of effort.” Sport and padel are her goals, but they are also a great way to socialise and make friends. “I don’t see my friends in Miami very often, but the good thing is that most of them play sports and some are serious athletes. It’s nice to know we’re all on the same path.” And then there are the friends she meets at tournaments. “I play pretty much all the time; it’s what I love doing most. And when I’m travelling for tournaments, there are plenty of opportunities to make new friends, build connections and share experiences. It’s wonderful to meet people from all over the world on the tournament circuit. Sometimes your friends are also your opponents, but that’s fine too!”

 

There is no doubt about her role models: “Among the men, my favourite is Tapia; among the women, I really like Bea Gonzalez. Playing against Spain and her at this FIP World Cup would be a dream come true for me!” she smiles, full of energy. For now, though, there is a team goal to pursue with the USA: “We’re aiming to finish in the top ten or top eight.” But Ornella’s personal dream reaches much further, with all the spontaneity and enthusiasm of youth: “My biggest goal is to become world number one.” A debut, a first victory and an ambition that is not afraid to aim high.