American Sensation Emma Navarro Leaves Australian Open Setback Aside as She Gears Up for WTA Qatar

Emma Navarro’s Australian Open campaign ended in heartbreak last month, just when she seemed poised for a deep run. The 23-year-old American had strung together four successive victories in Melbourne, only to see her momentum halted in the quarterfinals by none other than Iga Swiatek. The former World No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam champion overpowered Navarro with a commanding 1-6, 2-6 victory, cutting short what had been a promising run.

However, Navarro isn’t dwelling on the past—she’s already focused on her next challenge. The World No. 9 has arrived in Doha, gearing up for her next tournament on the WTA calendar, the Qatar Open. She confirmed her presence in the Middle East by sharing practice session snapshots on her Instagram story on Saturday, signaling her readiness for battle. While the tournament kicks off this week, Navarro is not scheduled to play her first match before Tuesday.

Her past experiences in Doha haven’t been the smoothest. In the 2024 edition, Navarro’s campaign ended in the Round of 16 against Elena Rybakina. Despite pushing the 2022 Wimbledon champion to a deciding set, Rybakina ultimately sealed the win with a 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 scoreline. Now, with a year of growth and higher expectations, Navarro will be looking to turn the tables and make a statement in Qatar.

At the moment, Navarro’s only focus will be to do better this season in Qatar. However, it will surely feel tough for her to get back in rhythm. Especially after what transpired in Melbourne last month. More than the defeat against Swiatek in the quarterfinal, what made her heavily dejected was one umpiring call that probably cost her the semifinal spot.

When the double bounce controversy left Emma Navarro speechless

During their encounter, when the score was leveled 2-2 in the second set, Iga Swiatek returned a drop shot from Emma Navarro. However, it was later observed that the ball had bounced twice already before the Pole hit it. Surprisingly, the chair umpire didn’t decide to take a video review due to Navarro’s late response. According to the rules, she had to stop playing immediately after realizing that the ball had bounced twice. But she reacted after the game was completed and thus, the umpire chose not to review her call.

Following her defeat and the controversial decision, the American player had a serious reaction, especially regarding the rules. However, she didn’t blame her QF opponent in any way. In the post-match conference, she said, “It’s in the moment; like is said, it happens so, so fast. I don’t know if she knew or not. Ultimately, it’s up to the ref to make the call. If she didn’t see it, then, you know, it is what it is, I guess”

Further, she called for a major change in taking video reviews. “It’s tough to place blame on anybody. It’s a tough call, and I think the rules should be different. I think for sure, we should definitely be able to look at it afterward and decide.”

What are your thoughts on Emma Navarro‘s suggestion? Speaking of her next WTA campaign, do you believe the World No. 9 will deliver a solid performance in Qatar? Let us know in the comments below.