“It means a lot…I’m super proud of myself,” Paula Badosa said after winning the Citi Open a few days ago. It was an emotional moment for the Spaniard, who fell to the ground and wept after her last shot in the match. Within a span of two weeks, the 26-year-old player is back in Cincinnati, hoping to win her second title of the season. Tennis fans are going gaga at Badosa’s aces, but a different kind of ace operates behind the scenes. Meet the architect of her success, Claudia Taberner Navarro, who was once a tennis player herself and is often found in Badosa’s box during her matches!

With a keen eye for strategy and a deep understanding of the tennis landscape, Navarro has played a pivotal role in Badosa’s ascent to the top as her manager. In return, the former World No. 2 player frequently shows her gratitude for Navarro, spending the moments of victories with her. When Badosa won the Citi Open, Navarro took to Instagram and wrote, “Proud of you and what you do every day🏆 Very happy to be able to experience it with you and share it with the best team possible❤️ Let’s keep going💪🤝,” with a picture with Badosa on-court in Washington.

Navarro is not just a manager; her identity revolves around tennis too, as she once played as a competitive tennis player for Cedar Springs Health, Racquet & Sports Club in Ontario (Canada) as per her LinkedIn profile. Although it was only for a year (2012–2013), it might have planted the seed of her love for the game that she indirectly nurtures even now! Navarro started her career as a tennis player but later switched to working in the registration Office at the World Free Zones Organization for a month in 2019 (June). 

But that’s not it. Navarro, who holds a Master’s degree in Auditing and Financial Management from UPF Barcelona School of Management, also worked as an audit junior, providing her financial services to KPMG Espana.  During the one-and-a-half-year period (starting in September 2020) in that company, she specialized in auditing banking clients and various companies like IBEX-35. Later, Navarro, who holds a first certificate in English and is fluent in Catalan, Spanish, French, English, and Italian, worked as a business analyst for HP for a little over two years. 

And, then she began her work as a business manager at PB Luxury Sports Brand (June 2024–present). While her educational background includes a degree of ‘Bachelor’s in Economics from the Universitat de Barcelona, Navarro did courses at the University of Oxford, IEB, and Luiss Guido Carli University as well.

While Navarro is always quite busy, right now, she aims to stay beside Paula Badosa in Cincinnati, where the Spaniard is preparing to take on Jessica Pegula in the semifinals and create some unforgettable moments in the USA.

Paula Badosa shares her optimism about playing on American soil

In 2023, Badosa’s season came to an abrupt end before the U.S. Open owing to her back injury. She did not have much success in the first half of this season either but a Citi Open victory and a semifinal entry in Cincinnati have provided her with the confidence she needed to propel forward. Moreover, her recent performances have also helped her be seeded for the upcoming U.S. Open. Naturally, she was in good spirits after her quarterfinal clash in Cincinnati.

“I am very happy with the way I see myself playing again; I feel that competing in the United States brings out the best in me. I have lived the most unforgettable moments of my career here,” the Spaniard said after the match. In April, Badosa was out of the top 100, but now it seems she is finally back on track. Her renewed confidence, coupled with Navarro’s expertise, will certainly help Badosa soar to new heights in tennis.