At DETA, the Road to the Junior Orange Bowl Runs Through Miami
Sep 16, 2026
Florida Tennis recently visited David Ensignia Tennis Academy (DETA) at Continental Park in Miami, where Editor and Publisher Matt Pressman sat down with David Ensignia Sr., David Ensignia Jr. and Jacit Gonzalez to discuss the academy’s player-development philosophy, community programs and prominent role in the road to the 2026 Junior Orange Bowl.
Above, from left: Matt Pressman, Florida Tennis Editor and Publisher; Jacit Gonzalez, DETA Business Development Manager; David Ensignia Jr., DETA Director of High Performance and Co-Founder; and David Ensignia Sr., DETA Director and Co-Founder.
For the second consecutive year, DETA will host the only U.S. Junior Orange Bowl Wild Card Series, providing ambitious 12-and-under and 14-and-under players with another route into one of junior tennis’s most prestigious international tournaments.
“The Junior Orange Bowl is a great opportunity and a dream for every junior player,” Gonzalez said. “It is an opportunity for a player who may not have the ranking, but has the skills, to be able to participate in the tournament.”
That opportunity carries even greater weight under the Junior Orange Bowl’s new qualification system. Only 14 protected positions per division have been allotted to American players in 2026, placing increased importance on the U.S. playoff pathway for talented juniors outside those spots.
The series begins with four two-day qualifying events at Continental Tennis Center on September 26–27, October 3–4, October 10–11 and October 17–18. The leading players will advance to the Master Event on October 24–25, where places in the Junior Orange Bowl will be at stake.
The Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship will then welcome elite young players from around the world to Miami from December 12–19.
It is a natural assignment for an academy deeply embedded in South Florida’s junior tennis ecosystem. DETA operates programs across several Miami-area locations and hosts competition for players at multiple stages of development, from young orange- and green-ball participants to nationally and internationally ranked juniors.
December is an especially valuable window. With the Junior Orange Bowl, Orange Bowl, Eddie Herr and Little Mo attracting players to Florida from around the world, DETA’s tournament schedule gives visiting juniors additional opportunities to compete.
“Traveling and competing in tennis requires a big budget,” Gonzalez said. “When you come from far away, play a qualifier and then you’re out in the first round, that’s it. We give players another option.”
Those tournaments can also place Miami players across the net from opponents they may never encounter during the rest of the year.
“The level is great,” Gonzalez added. “It is also a great opportunity for our Miami players to be in contact with players who are not here year-round.”
The academy’s approach extends beyond adding matches to a player’s résumé. Ensignia Sr. emphasized professionalism, qualified coaching and personal accountability throughout the interview.
“Our philosophy is to be professional,” Ensignia Sr. said. “Whatever you do as a coach, the equipment and the parents—that is five percent. Ninety-five percent belongs to the player.”
DETA also uses tennis to serve a wider community. Its outreach efforts support wheelchair and adaptive players, seniors and children from underserved communities in Florida and abroad. Donated racquets, shoes, balls, nets and financial assistance help local coaches introduce the sport to children who may otherwise never receive the opportunity to play.
For Ensignia Jr., the most important advice for any developing player is also the simplest.
“You have to love the sport,” he said. “When there is love and passion, everything comes easier for you. Even though the sport is not easy, you make it easy.”
In a game that demands countless hours of practice, difficult losses and relentless belief, there may be no better place to start.
Exclusive Interview
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By Alex Binstok, Assistant Editor of Florida Tennis. Photos courtesy of David Ensignia Tennis Academy.
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