US OPEN

August 30, 2024

Emma Navarro

Press Conference

E. NAVARRO/M. Kostyuk

6-4, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Moving on. Tough three-setter. Your thoughts.

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, definitely was not easy today. You know, there's matches like this where I think mental toughness wins it, not your physical ability.

Yeah, I think that was kind of what happened today. I played really hard and stuck in there through moments where I was a little bit frustrated and not playing my best. But I think these matches, they mean a lot. I think I learn a lot from myself and probably grow the most in matches like this.

Yeah, definitely happy to get the win and be moving on.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Emma, at Wimbledon a lot of people were talking about you being under the radar, and you were asked about being under the radar. How would you describe where you think you stand now with respect to the radar, and also in your own mind?

EMMA NAVARRO: I think I'm on the radar. In my own head I'll probably always be under the radar just because I don't give, I don't know, like social media and that kind of stuff too much attention.

You know, I have a really grounded group of people around me that keeps me really grounded. So in my head I'll always just be kind of regular Emma, under-the-radar Emma, but yeah, maybe to the rest of the world I'm more on the radar now.

I thought being on the radar would be more of a scary thing than it actually is. Now that I think I'm here, it's not so bad.

Q. Speaking of being on the radar, you face Coco again now. What are your thoughts about that?

EMMA NAVARRO: It's really exciting. I said it on the court. I think it's so exciting to have two Americans playing in the fourth round. I'm assuming we'll be playing on Arthur Ashe. That's kind of an experience that is something I could have never even dreamed of. I'm playing the defending champ.

I think it will be a great match, and I'm just really excited for the opportunity.

Q. Was just curious if you have watched that Wimbledon match back against Coco? What have you noticed that worked for you to prepare for another face-off with her that you'll have on Sunday? Also, I was wondering if meeting Coco, even though you say it's exciting, and Frances and Ben are together today too, is it frustrating to meet another American that early, or do you find it not at all?

EMMA NAVARRO: No, I don't think it's frustrating. I think it's great for American tennis. The guys and the girls, we both have I think five Americans in the top 20 or top 15 right now, which, you know, it's pretty amazing. I think it's been a long time since that has been the case.

Yeah, of course, I want to see myself and my fellow Americans go as far as we can go in the tournament. The fact that one of us has to be knocked out is tough, but no, I'm not frustrated at all. I think it's an incredible opportunity for both of us.

I haven't watched my match back with Coco. I obviously talked about it with my coach and reflected on my own about it, and there's definitely things I'll take with me from that match into Sunday.

Q. Just quickly on the Wimbledon match against Coco, what sticks out in your mind the strongest from that match? Then, I also separately wanted to ask you if you could share what sort of a note you might write for yourself before Sunday's match?

EMMA NAVARRO: I'll answer the second question first. The biggest thing I want to do on Sunday is just take it all in, really enjoy the experience.

I practiced on Ashe maybe three, four years ago when I was playing juniors, so maybe more than that. Four or five years ago. I remember it just felt so big. I was so dizzy. Just, like, out of sorts being on Ashe.

Then I stepped in there earlier this morning. You know, it was probably half the size as I remembered it being. I think it's sort of a testament to how far I've come in this sport. I really just want to enjoy the experience.

Then as far as tennis goes, I think I did a good job of neutralizing her serve and just playing really aggressive from the baseline and pushing back against her groundstrokes. And then always getting one more ball back in the court.

Q. Just one quick follow-up to clarify. When you went this morning, was that your first time in Ashe since you had been there as a junior?

EMMA NAVARRO: I think so, yeah. Yeah, I just saw that the door was open, and I was coming into the locker room this morning, so I just walked out there. But, yeah, I think it's my first time.

Q. Obviously one of the differences between the Wimbledon match and the one that will be Sunday is that you guys were teammates obviously just a few weeks ago in Paris. I'm curious, like, what the team bonding experience was like there? I've heard about the Chipotle run and some of the things. With you and Coco in particular, what was it like being teammates?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, it was awesome. I've watched Coco kind of grow up as the rest of us have. We shared kind of like apartment, dorm-style apartment at the Olympic Village. It was us and a couple of table tennis players and a couple of archers and us girls and the tennis team. We were roommates for a few days.

We kind of had a running joke that the people that stayed in the Village as opposed to going to the hotel were digging. They were digging it out, digging really deep. I dug as long as I could, but I eventually had to move to the hotel because I wasn't really sleeping too much at the Village. Coco dug it out all week.

Yeah, getting to know her was awesome. She gets a ton of attention. Just walking around the Village with her was pretty crazy. You know, people constantly coming up to her and wanting to trade pins, wanting to take a picture with her. Especially for her age, to be able to handle it as well as she does is really impressive.

Yeah, I have a ton of respect for her. It was really cool to be able to spend time together and grow our relationship. Yeah, it's cool to have a friend on tour. Playing each other I think will be a great experience for both of us.

Q. Obviously you mentioned we sort of watched Coco grow up. You went a different route. You played college tennis and it all seemed to come together for you in the last 12 to 18 months. Wondered how you think your pathways kind of led you to this point and how those experiences have helped you now to be putting in these sort of performances at majors?

EMMA NAVARRO: It was really important for me to take a more methodical approach and kind of go through all the steps to get to where I am now and not feel like I'm anywhere where I'm not ready to be yet.

You know, I spent some time on the ITF circuit coming out of college and just really took things one thing at a time and wasn't in a rush to get anywhere. I think that's what I knew would give me the most confidence. If I was able to get to this point, I would feel like I've put in the work to get here, and I've kind of gone through that rite of passage.

Yeah, I think that was really necessary for me to feel like I have earned my way here and that I belong here.

Q. Coco was just saying you have had this great sense of humor and no one sees it. I certainly haven't seen it. But could you just talk about your sense of humor, and is it important to have that light side? Is Sabalenka the funniest or most light-hearted woman on the tour, or who?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah. Maybe certain situations bring it out of me more than others. But yeah, I would say my sense of humor is a really big part of my personality. Probably in a press conference is not where it's going to come out the most.

But, yeah, I'm super light-hearted, super easygoing. I think my on-court personality is a little bit different than my off-court personality. I think I come off as pretty serious on court.

You know, there's always something probably a little silly floating through my brain out there. So, yeah, just super easygoing.

I don't like to take myself too seriously. I always like to find the humor in things. It keeps me happy, keeps the people around me happy. So, yeah, that's definitely a big part of my personality.

Q. Funniest people on the tour?

EMMA NAVARRO: I don't know. It's tough to say. Yeah, I don't know. I don't have a good answer for you.

Q. Kind of similar question, but previously you said that you managed to be like a regular Emma. What kind of person regular Emma is, and how do you spend the time on the tour or what do you like the most?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah. Like I said, I'm just super easygoing. My best friends don't play tennis. A lot of them just graduated school and are figuring out what they want to do with their lives.

Then my family, they obviously support me to no end, but at the end of the day I'm their daughter, their sister before I'm a tennis player. I have a lot of really great people around me that keep me grounded and don't let my head get too big.

I like to be super outdoorsy and be active when I'm on tour, so I like to get out and see the cities we're in or go on a bike ride or a walk around the city. Yeah, I like to do outdoorsy type things.