Emma Navarro’s accomplishments on the professional circuit, including reaching the semi-finals at the 2024 U.S. Open, show how her college career served as a springboard for her achievements on the WTA tour.
Dominating College Tennis
Emma Navarro, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, joined UVA in 2020 with an impressive background in junior tennis. However, it was during her collegiate years that she truly distinguished herself. In just her freshman year, she became the first player from UVA to capture the NCAA singles championship in 2021, earning her a wildcard entry into the US Open. That season she held an impressive 25-1 record in singles matches, showing her dominance at the collegiate level. Navarro went 26–2 in singles as a second-year, ending the year ranked No. 2 nationally after losing to Abigail Rencheli of NC State in the round of 16 of the 2022 NCAA singles championship. By the time she departed from college tennis after her sophomore season, Navarro had established herself as one of the most gifted players in the NCAA, receiving All-American recognition and cementing her legacy at UVA.
Transition to the Professional Circuit
After turning pro, Navarro wasted no time making an impact on the tour. She began by competing in ITF and lower-tier WTA events, gaining valuable experience while steadily climbing the rankings. Her first breakthrough came in 2023, when she started to consistently perform well in WTA 250 events. She captured her first WTA title at the Charleston Open in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. Her WTA successes also translated to the Grand Slam stage where she competed in all four major tournaments in 2023 and reached a ranking of 39 by the end of the year. Navarro’s biggest accomplishment was in this year’s U.S. Open where she reached the semi-finals, falling to the later winner Aryna Sabalenka.
College tennis as a springboard
For Emma Navarro, the choice to play college tennis at UVA not only gave her the platform to develop her game but also allowed her to mature as a player in an environment that balanced competition with education. Her time at UVA, playing against some of the best collegiate players in the country, prepared her for the physical and mental demands of the professional tour. It also gave her the confidence needed to compete on the biggest stages in tennis.
Below you will find the complete list of players with college ties who competed in the U.S. Open 2024 singles draws:
Men’s singles draw
Name | School |
Ben Shelton | Florida |
Francisco Cerundolo | South Carolina |
Nuno Borges | Mississippi State |
Marcos Giron | UCLA |
Brandon Nakashima | Virginia |
Arthur Rinderknech | Texas A&M |
Rinky Hijikata | North Carolina |
Aleksandar Kovacevic | Illinois |
Dominik Koepfer | Tulane |
Aleksandar Vukic | Illinois |
Adam Walton | Tennessee |
Christopher Eubanks | Georgia Tech |
Mackenzie McDonald | UCLA |
Gabriel Diallo | Kentucky |
Learner Tien | USC |
Eliot Spizzirri | Texas |
Women’s singles draw
Name | School |
Danielle Collins | Virginia |
Emma Navarro | Virginia |
Diana Shnaider | NC State |
Peyton Stearns | Texas |
Lulu Sun | Texas |
Mayar Sherif | Pepperdine |
Mccartney Kessler | Florida |
Yuliia Starodubtseva | Old Dominion |
Ena Shibahara | UCLA |
María Lourdes Carlé | Georgia |
Alexa Noel | Iowa, Miami (FL) |
Interested in talking about your chances of playing collegiate tennis? Send us a message, and we can help you to get started!