Last year at Wimbledon, Emma Navarro played what was, at the time, the biggest match of her ascending career. In the round of 16, she walked onto the vaunted Centre Court and faced off against a familiar opponent, Coco Gauff, tennis’s new big thing. Deploying an alloy of patience, problem-solving, focus, speed, defense and occasional pop, Navarro won, somewhat unexpectedly, in straight sets.
A few weeks later, Navarro played the new biggest match of her ascending career. Same round. Same opponent. This time at the 2024 U.S. Open. Here were the two best American players under 25 years old … confronting each other on Labor Day weekend … in New York … at the one major held stateside. As tennis assignations go, few come weighted with more pressure and expectation.
