Emma Navarro, 23, was born in New York and grew up in South Carolina. During a post-match interview at Arthur Ashe Stadium, she proudly mentioned her New York roots after her 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory over defending champion Coco Gauff at the U.S. Open. This win secured her a spot in the quarterfinals, marking her second consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance. Notably, before this year’s U.S. Open, Navarro had never advanced past the first round at Flushing Meadows.
Navarro is the daughter of Ben Navarro, the billionaire founder and CEO of Sherman Financial Group, who also owns the WTA Tour event in Charleston and attempted to purchase the NFL’s Carolina Panthers in 2018. She played college tennis at the University of Virginia, where she won the NCAA singles championship as a freshman in 2021.
Navarro’s tennis career has recently taken off, with her ranking soaring from No. 143 at the end of 2022 to a career-best No. 12 this year. She is currently seeded 13th at the U.S. Open. This season has been a breakthrough for Navarro, with a 49-19 record and her first WTA title on a hard court in Hobart, Australia, in January. Reflecting on her growth, Navarro noted that she now approaches decisions on the court with greater confidence and decisiveness, which has been key to her success.