Emma Navarro has come roaring back to the tour after an extended absence. The American enters the French Open as the champion in Strasbourg, looking to extend her streak with no points to lose. Navarro suffered a dramatic 6-0, 6-1 upset to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round last year. And ahead of her 2026 campaign, she’s worked on the physical and mental difficulties that affected her on-court results.
Recently, during her pre-tournament press conference at the French Open, Navarro opened about her struggles and her recovery.
Emma Navarro Rediscovers Herself Ahead of the French Open
Navarro stepped away from tennis after losing her opening match at the WTA 125 event in Austin in March. At that point, she had just four wins under her belt and nine losses for the season. The American skipped the Miami Open, the Charleston Open, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, and the Madrid Open, citing lingering health issues.
During her press conference in Paris, the 25-year-old said, “I had some health stuff to work through. I haven’t been feeling my best for probably a couple of years now; a year and a half maybe.”
The American initially tried to play through it but to no avail. “It kind of got to a point where I felt like I’ve got to just stay home and focus on my health.”
Navarro made an unsuccessful comeback at the Italian Open, losing her first match in straight sets against Elisabetta Cocciaretto. She then secured her first win against Lola Radivojević at the WTA 125 tournament in Paris but lost her second match to compatriot Katie Volynets.
The setbacks didn’t stop Navarro from rediscovering her form. She returned to winning ways at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, beating strong opposition in Sára Bejlek, Iva Jovic, Zhang Shuai, Ann Li, and Victoria Mboko to lift the trophy.
“I came back to the tour when I felt like I was ready. Now I’m feeling good physically; I feel good mentally. I’m enjoying my time out on the court. And I feel grateful to be back on tour,” she said in Paris.
About her health issues, Navarro conveyed, “It’s a bit of a work in progress still, but I’ve made huge strides when I was home.” The American said that difficulties were exacerbated by playing tennis. “The tour is tough, and it’ll take it out of you. It’s constant travel and a lot of stress on the body and the mind. You’re always in unfamiliar environments, competing every week. It definitely takes a toll on the body.”
Navarro’s recovery included some downtime at home in Charleston before resuming her training. “I took a couple of weeks to regroup a little bit, and then I was back on the practice court shortly after. Training and getting physically ready to come back to the tour.”
The former World No. 8, known for competing day in and day out, has come back with a fresh perspective and adjusted her schedule to prioritize her physical and mental health.
“Try not to run myself into the ground. There was a year, a couple of years ago, where I played almost 100 matches maybe. Maybe at that time, that was what I needed to do, and I could do that, but I think I’ve learned I can’t do that every year. It gets to a point where you have to manage yourself a bit better,” she said, adding, “I do like playing a lot of matches and competing a lot of weeks. I think just learning to find the balance.”
MORE: ‘It’s Been Rocky’ – Emma Navarro Emotionally Hugs Billionaire Father As Strasbourg Triumph Ends Woes
Navarro’s best result in Paris so far is a fourth-round appearance in 2024. She begins her 2026 French Open campaign against Indonesia’s Janice Tjen on Tuesday.
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