DALLAS, TX - Mary Brascia arrived at the Hertz Gold Cup hungry for more hardware.

Coming off a silver medal in Nationals alongside her sister, Maggie, Mary was motivated to pick up where she left off in Texas, beginning with singles play.

"The flight from California to Florida is always a long one, but it allowed me plenty of time on Wednesday to practice, run some reps with Lacy Schneemann, and get a good night’s sleep," said Brascia.

On Thursday morning, Brascia arrived at the venue with fresh Starbucks in hand.

“Today is red cup day at Starbucks, so I went and got my Christmas drink. I got the chestnut praline latte. It’s a classic. I always need to have a coffee before I play,” said Brascia.

After some dynamic stretching, the Mission Viejo, CA native paired up with Lina Padegimaite to practice. 

“Lina and I warmed up together and went through all the shots. It’s a little bit rainy here, so we’re using the half court and playing skinny singles to just keep our feet moving,” said Brascia. 

Right before the start of her first match of the day, Brascia put on her Beats headphones to enjoy some EDM.

“Currently, I’m listening to Atmosphere by FISHER,” said Brascia. “Right before I walk on the court, I try to pump myself up with positive self-talk. I listen to my music and make sure that my body is moving and that I feel good.”

After an 11-3 and 11-8 victory over Kelsey Laurente, Brascia made every effort to stay warm.

“I’m feeling good. The first round's always tough. My opponent was pretty good and she hasn’t been playing that long, but I stayed focused and found my game on the court," said Brascia. "I’m excited for the next one."

Mary dominated her next match against Jessie Irvine with back-to-back 11-1 games. 

“I’m a big strategy person,” said Brascia. “In between matches, I talk to my team and figure out my strategy for the next one.”

Brascia has a whole team of experts to consult before each match via several group chats.

“My team includes my dad, TS Johansson, Dan Roditi, Adam Hill, the list goes on and on. Basically, whoever’s available and watching,” shared Brascia. 

Brascia then headed into a quarterfinal tilt versus Lauren Stratman. 

“It’s definitely a long day, but I’m feeling really good about my game and how I’m playing," said Brascia, before battling Stratman. "I know that if I keep it up, I can beat anyone. I just need to execute."

Stratman ultimately defeated Brascia in three games, so Mary quickly shifted her focus to doubles action with Maggie and mixed doubles action with Travis Rettenmaier. 

“I’m feeling really good about the rest of the weekend. Maggie and I are feeling confident. We have some tough competitors ahead of us, so we’re really going to have to fight for every point, but I always believe we can win," shared Brascia. "I’m super excited to finish the year out strong with her.”

As for partnering with Rettenmaier, this will be their first experience together.

“I love his gameplay and I think our styles are a good contrast from each other," said Brascia. "I’m stoked to play with him."

While things didn’t go Brascia’s way in singles, she still plenty of pickleball to play this weekend in the Sunshine State.