WHAT HAPPENED: One thing that the 2019 US Open has shown is that the future of American women’s tennis is so bright, it’s almost blinding. Fifteen-year-old Coco Gauff gritted her way to the third round of the main draw while 17-year-old Catherine McNally gave Serena Williams everything the six-time US Open champion could handle in their second round match. And today, Emma Navarro, the No. 1 seed in the junior tournament, showed Court 5 spectators just what she could do with a tennis racquet as she lost just three games defeating Hong Kong’s Hong Yi Cody Wong, 6-0, 6-3.
In the first set, Navarro looked like a green fuzz magnet: everywhere Wong put the ball on the court—no matter how deep, short, angled or right down the middle—there was Navarro. The 18-year-old American just couldn’t miss, and her uncanny ability to get just one shot back unraveled Wong. The 17-year-old from Hong Kong made 11 unforced errors to 4 winners, and grabbed just 29 percent of her first serve points. (Her first serve sat at just 44 percent). Navarro actually posted better numbers returning than serving, and wrapped up the set in just 22 minutes.
Navarro’s consistency came down to earth in the second set. Wong took advantage of a few unforced errors and showed off some of her prowess at the net and broke Navarro in the first game. Navarro broke back shortly thereafter, but the two athletes began to play longer points and games than were ever played in the first set, and more often than before, they ended with unforced errors from Navarro.
Wong also started to win more points on her own serve, bringing her first serve percentage up to 63 percent. She was able to stay with Navarro until 4-3, 30-30, but she then made three unforced errors in a row to hand the American the break. Navarro then served out the match, saving a break point in the process.
WHAT IT MEANS: The victory is just another highlight in Navarro’s stellar season. She made the French Open junior final in singles and won the junior doubles title, with partner Chloe Beck. She also had a semifinals showing at Wimbledon juniors and captured the Easter Bowl National Championships in the spring. Navarro, who is committed to playing college tennis at Virginia, will next face Russia’s Oksana Selekhmeteva. The two have never met before.
MATCH POINT: How good was Navarro on the return, particularly in the first set? Navarro finished the match winning a staggering 59 percent of her receiving points.
