Wimbledon: Emma Navarro Leaves Martina Navratilova Floored With an ‘Unbelievable’ Turnaround Ahead of Coco Gauff Clash

“I would say that calmness, I’ve always had,” a poised Emma Navarro opened up about the magic potion that has worked for her during emotional moments. Tennis is as much a game of feelings as it is physicality. And in her Wimbledon campaign until now, the American has gone through the onslaught of emotions with a ‘Zen’ like calmness. This was also reflected in her interview with Martina Navratilova after making it through R3. As she left, the legend was stunned by the youngster’s poised yet competitive demeanor.

It’s certainly not easy to digest the big fish, however with a composed attitude, Navarro’s transition was smoother than what the legend would have anticipated. Hence, during an interview, Navratilova asked the American about the change she underwent to turn things around against Osaka and to be ready for R3, as she praised the “unbelievable” tennis showcased by her.

In response to Navratilova, the American accepted that “It’s not easy coming off of a big win.” With big wins comes a bigger responsibility to prove that it was not just a black swan event. Hence, the zeal to prove oneself worthy of the crown takes over. Concurring with the same, Navarro was faced with a similar emotion. “Feeling like you have to back it up or you have something to hold on to” doesn’t come easy either, said the No.19 seed.

However, Navarro was more than ready for such events, as she believed in herself to deliver a few upsets on the grass and make her way further into the tournament. She elaborated on the same, “So in my prep, that is something I wanted to acknowledge and make sure that I was in a place to be able to go after something.” Rather than holding onto the two-day-old big win, Navarro preferred to move on and grab the opportunity presented with both hands in R3.

The No.19 seed has been consistent in her performance on the grass court since the beginning of the tournament. The favorite who fell prey to her calmness on the court includes Naomi Osaka in the R2—followed by Diana Shnaider in the R3, as she prepares to face fellow compatriot and another tournament favorite, Coco Gauff in the R4. However, off the court, Navarro prefers friendly vibes to surround her when she meets and greets her opponents.

Emma Navarro goes for ‘A really cool atmosphere’ as she does what she loves

The American tennis star is full of positive vibes and a calm attitude both on and off the court. After her R3 win over Shnaider, Navarro being the charming personality she is, went on to hug her in a show of good sportsmanship and to keep the ‘cool atmosphere’ alive. As she showcases her skills in the game she loves the most.

Opening up about her friendly attitude, she said, “When I have a good relationship with my opponent, I think it just creates a really cool atmosphere where, obviously, we want to beat each other, but we’re out there fighting for the same thing and doing what we love, and it’s positive.” 

How far would Emma Navarro’s calm and composed tennis would take her in the Wimbledon 2024?