Emma Navarro is an American professional tennis player born on May 18, 2001, in New York, NY.
She achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 8 by the WTA in September 2024 and won her first WTA Tour title at the 2024 Hobart International.
Navarro played college tennis at Virginia, winning the NCAA Singles Championship in 2021, which earned her a wildcard into the US Open.
She was named the 2024 WTA Most Improved Player of the Year.
Parents
Emma’s parents are Benjamin W. Navarro and Kelly Navarro.
Her father, Ben, is a billionaire businessman and founder of Sherman Financial Group, LLC, with significant investments in real estate and sports, including the Cincinnati Open.
He was born in Massachusetts and raised in Rhode Island.
Kelly works as a talent recruiter for Meeting Street Education Group and maintains a relatively private profile while supporting Emma’s tennis career.
The family resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where they raised Emma and her siblings: Meggie, Earl, and Owen.
Career
In her junior career, Navarro had notable performances in major tournaments.
For instance, in the 2019 Junior French Open, she reached the final in singles, where she lost to Leylah Fernandez.
However, she partnered with Chloe Beck to win the doubles title. Additionally, at the 2019 Junior Australian Open, Navarro and Beck finished as runners-up in the doubles event.
Navarro attended the University of Virginia, where she excelled in college tennis.
One of her most notable achievements was winning the 2021 NCAA Singles Championship.
She defeated Ashley Lahey in the final, which earned her a wildcard entry into the US Open.
Her success in college also led to several awards and recognitions.
She was named the ITA Rookie of the Year and was a finalist for the Honda Sports Award, which recognizes outstanding female athletes in various sports.
After her success in college, Navarro transitioned to professional tennis.
She made her WTA Tour debut in 2019 but gained significant momentum in her career in 2024.
That year, she won her first WTA title at the Hobart International, defeating Elise Mertens in the final.
Navarro also achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 8 in the world in September 2024.
She reached her first major quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2024, marking significant milestones in her career.
Additionally, she had notable victories, including defeating Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells, where she reached the quarterfinals.
