Greatness isn’t just built on the court but starts long before the player’s first serve. For America’s rising star Emma Navarro, the foundation of her determination and spirit was shaped in ways few would expect. Long before the WTA number eight battled Grand Slam finalists, she pushed her limits with her father, not just with a racquet. “I gotta give a lot of credit to my dad,” she reflected while speaking of her career growth. However, Navarro’s father’s influence, and her family’s role, run far deeper than her followers realize. So, how did Emma Navarros’ parents contribute to her professional uprise?

Navarro’s father, Ben Navarro, is the founder of Sherman Financial Group and the son of known college football coach Frank Navarro. Despite coming from a sports background, the WTA number eight’s father pursued a career in finance and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1984. Before starting his company, Ben Navarro worked at Chemical Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup. Today, this entrepreneur runs a business worth $1.5 billion, which Forbes describes as a “credit card and debt collection empire.” Yet, even with his financial success, Emma Navarro’s father remains strongly passionate about tennis.

Ben Navarro is deeply invested in the sport. He owns two major tennis tournaments, the Charleston Open and the Cincinnati Open. For this businessman, tennis is more than just a game; it’s an integral part of his family’s values. Reflecting on this, Navarro’s father once said, “As a fan, father, and business owner, tennis has brought so much to our family. Junior tennis has provided a place for our children to learn a work ethic, develop friendships through shared struggle, and learn to handle disappointment, defeat, and sometimes even unfairness.”

On the flip side, Navarro’s mother, Kelly, prefers to keep her profile private, but according to her talented daughter, she is “the behind-the-scenes lady who makes everything happen.” In 2020, Kelly Navarro made headlines when she and her husband launched a college scholarship for Charleston students. Through this Meeting Street Scholarship Fund, the couple aimed to support underprivileged Charleton kids in achieving their dreams of higher education in college.

While both parents played a crucial role in Navarro’s professional journey, the WTA number eight gives extra credit to her father for constructing her spirit with a competitive and winning mindset. Acknowledging the valuable lessons her father has taught her, Navarro confessed, “I gotta give a lot of credit to my dad. He’s probably the smartest guy I know and has dropped a lot of knowledge and wisdom on my siblings and I over the years.”

However, Navarro’s passion for tennis wasn’t just fueled by her parents. She has three siblings, two older brothers Earl and Owen, and a younger sister, Meggie. Growing up, her brothers inspired her to pick up the racquet, shaping her journey to become a rising WTA star.

Emma Navarro credited her brothers for her journey to the sport

Navarro reflected on her brother’s contribution to her career in a candid interview with the Charleston Magazine in 2021. “I have two older brothers, and they both played. As soon as I was old enough and strong enough to hold a racquet, I was out there on the court with them,” said the WTA number eight. Her words reflected her admiration towards her brothers for initiating her knack for the sport.

Tennis runs in the WTA number eight’s family. Navarro’s elder brother Owen is a tennis player. Even Navarro’s younger sister Meggie plays the sport professionally at the collegiate level for the University of Virginia. In the Preseason Doubles Ranking, Meggie was positioned at 13. She is also a part of the Cavalier women’s team since 2022 and was selected as the 2022 ITA scholar cum athlete. Navarro’s younger sister clinched her first win at the Whoowa Invitational, defeating LSU’s Shaye Longwell. She ended her 2024 season as number three in doubles.

With the support of her parents and siblings, Navarro’s journey in tennis began. However, in the process, one must also admit the sheer dedication that fuelled her to the WTA top eight. Navarro revealed that she would wake up around 5:45 a.m. to practice for an hour before school, a testament to her commitment and determination to the sport.

Ultimately, the driving force behind Emma Navarro’s remarkable rise has been her family, who encouraged her every step of the way. Today, as she stands among the top players in the sport, she credits her success to her family, whose belief in her potential never went away. Are you rooting for Navarro in the ongoing Australian Open?