QATAR TOTAL ENERGIES OPEN

February 13, 2024

Emma Navarro

Press Conference

E. NAVARRO/E. Mertens

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Can you describe your thoughts after the match.

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah. Happy with my level today. It's always tough playing an opponent that you just played a few weeks ago. Just coming back out and playing on a new day, it's always going to be different. It's always going to be tough, especially trying to defend a result that I had a few weeks ago.

Yeah, just tried to be really mentally tough today and get myself to the place where I was just really excited to play. Yeah, I was able to do that and played at a high level.

Yeah, happy with the win today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In 2024, 12 victories/wins in 14 matches. One title won. You are near to the top 20. What happened from January?

EMMA NAVARRO: Well, yeah, maybe it seems like it's happened really fast, and I guess, like, numbers-wise it kind of has, but I feel like I have been playing at a high level for a while now, maybe a year or so.

I felt like it was really important to just take my time and kind of go through this right of passage of playing ITFs and getting a bunch of matches in and just gaining confidence in who I am as a player and how I like to play and the plays I like to go to in big moments, just figuring all that stuff out. By getting a lot of matches in, I think that was really important for me and it gave me a lot of confidence coming into this new level.

Yeah, I guess it's happened fast, but I feel like it hasn't, for me at least, it doesn't feel that fast. It feels like this has kind of been a long time in the making, so it's cool to see a goal of mine pan out like it has been this year.

Q. How to describe yourself as a person, as a tennis player?

EMMA NAVARRO: When I'm off the court, I am super relaxed, super easygoing. I like to have fun. I like to laugh. I'm not serious at all.

Then I would say on the court I'm a little bit more serious, but I think even more so recently than in the past I'm feeling like more of myself off the court when I am on the court. I think that's actually helped me. Maybe it's showing a little bit more emotion and, you know, just able to take things a little bit more lightheartedly. I think that's kind of helped me a little bit.

I think my off-court and my on-court personalities are merging a little bit into one, and I think it's maybe a good thing (smiling).

Q. Which is your preferred surface? Hard courts?

EMMA NAVARRO: I have always said clay court to that question, but now I kind of feel more comfortable on hard courts than I ever have in the past, and I'm starting to really enjoy playing on a hard court.

But I feel like if you ask me during clay court season I'd probably say clay is my favorite, so I don't know. I don't really have a straightforward answer to that, but just, yeah, kind of enjoying my time on hard courts right now.

Q. Your family is a sports family. Your father was a famous football player? Is true?

EMMA NAVARRO: My grandfather. Yeah, he played football in college and he coached football for a long time.

Yeah, sports is definitely in the family.

Q. No one played in tennis in your family?

EMMA NAVARRO: Well, I have three siblings, and my younger sister plays in college, same college I played at, at University of Virginia. My two older brothers played when they were younger but stopped when they were teenagers.

But yeah, my dad started playing I think when he was maybe in his 20s or 30s, and just kind of fell in love with the sport then and really wanted his kids to play. So we have all played at one time or another (smiling).

Q. When did you start to play tennis seriously?

EMMA NAVARRO: Well, I played since I was old enough to hold a racquet, like when I was three years old. Then I don't know. I guess my dad or coaches saw that maybe I could go somewhere in this sport, so I started playing tournaments when I was seven or eight, I think.

Yeah, it was always a big part of my life. Maybe I thought I could go somewhere in this sport when I was, I don't know, 17, 18, but really didn't commit to professional tennis until I left college to make a run at it.

Q. Did you ever play in Italy?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yes. I played in Milan in juniors. I think that's it. Yeah (smiling).

Q. You will play in Rome?

EMMA NAVARRO: Hopefully, yeah. I'm excited to play in Rome.