Emma Navarro is into her maiden WTA 1000 semi-final after beating Magda Linette, Marta Kostyuk and Taylor Townsend in Toronto.
It’s been the year that keeps on giving for America’s new star Emma Navarro, who is now sitting at a career high of 13 in the world after a successful week so far in Toronto.
After reaching her maiden quarter-final of a grand slam at Wimbledon, losing to the eventual runner-up Jasmine Paolini, Navarro is by no means too far from the top.
With two of the favorites Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka having been defeated in quite convincing style, the WTA is throwing fans a few curve balls as the hard court season gets into full swing.
Navarro’s recent trip to Paris with Team USA was an exciting, albeit slightly disappointing experience, with the American squandering a match point to China’s Qinwen Zheng, who later went on to win Olympic gold.
Sharing the trip with Danielle Collins, who attended the same college as Navarro in Virginia, the 23-year-old has been quick to praise her compatriots swagger before she retires at the end of this year.
Emma Navarro shares what she has learned from Danielle Collins
Collins announced after defeat in the Australian Open that 2024 would be her last year on the tour.
The American has since found the form of her life and has returned to the top 10 of the WTA rankings, after securing titles in Miami and Charleston.
With Collins’ fierce on-court energy, Navarro outlined what she has learnt from the 30-year-old during her press conference at the Toronto Open.
She said: “We have very different on-court personalities but she’s taught me a little bit about how to just be yourself and not everyone’s going to like how you go about things but don’t let that get to you.
“She’s very outgoing and expressive on the court and she’s unapologetically herself which I think is really cool.
“But off-court she’s just been super supportive. We got to play in the Olympics together and cheer each other on so that was really cool.”
Collins’ fiery personality is going to be severely missed on the WTA Tour and she will likely enjoy the rare feat of retiring on a high – likely while still in the top 20.
Can Emma Navarro challenge at the US Open?
Her fourth round French Open appearance was her furthest run at a major until she decimated Gauff to reach the Wimbledon quarters.
Navarro is making a habit of going one better and is seemingly only focused upwards.
With the defending US Open champion still yet to truly find her form on the hard courts, Gauff’s thumping defeat to Diana Shnaider in Toronto has put a few question marks over her head.
Jessica Pegula’s streak at majors will be grim from reading for her, with the world number five never having reached beyond the quarter-finals, despite having got there six times in all four majors.
While former finalist Madison Keys is also in with a shout, Navarro looks the far more steady to forge a deep run in Flushing Meadows.
The spotlight will be on Gauff first, Pegula second, and probably Collins third, giving Navarro a low-pressure environment upon which she performs so well.
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