Emma Navarro to face Paula Badosa in US Open QF after win over Coco Gauff

Emma Navarro to face Paula Badosa in US Open QF after win over Coco Gauff

Emma Navarro is now poised to take on Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals of the 2024 US Open. Both players will be competing in their first-ever quarterfinal at this tournament, with a spot in their maiden Grand Slam semifinal on the line. Seeded 13th in New York, Navarro has reached this stage by defeating Anna Blinkova, Arantxa Rus, 16th seed Marta Kostyuk, and third seed Coco Gauff.

Meanwhile, 26th seed Paula Badosa has maintained her impressive form during the North American hard court swing at the 2024 US Open. The Spaniard recently captured her first title in over two years at the WTA 500 Citi Open in Washington, DC, and followed it up with a semifinal run at the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open.

At Flushing Meadows, Badosa defeated Viktorija Golubic, Taylor Townsend, Elena Gabriela-Ruse, and Wang Yafan to reach her second Grand Slam quarterfinal. Badosa and Navarro have faced each other once before on the WTA Tour, with Badosa winning their encounter at the 2024 Italian Open.

“Coco Gauff is gonna come back and win this thing again” – Emma Navarro after beating defending champion in US Open 2024 4R

Emma Navarro extended her impressive run in the 2024 season at the US Open by eliminating defending champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round. This victory marked Navarro’s second straight win over the top American player.

Navarro started the fourth-round match against Gauff assertively, countering the young American’s powerful groundstrokes with strategic court positioning and extended rallies. She initially took control of the match, securing a set and a break lead, but Gauff responded with determination, managing to level the score in the second set.

Navarro remained unfazed by Gauff’s late surge in the second set and elevated her game in the deciding set. She capitalized on the 20-year-old’s lapses in concentration, breaking her twice to secure a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory. Gauff largely contributed to her own downfall, committing 60 unforced errors and an astonishing 19 double faults.

As a result, Emma Navarro has now reached her second consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal. The 23-year-old was ecstatic and spoke highly of Coco Gauff in her post-match on-court interview, praising her abilities and expressing confidence that Gauff could win the US Open again, even though she did not defend her title this year.

“It’s pretty insane. I lost first round the last two years. Now to be in the quarterfinals is insane. It’s the city I was born in. It feels so special to play here. Coco is an amazing player. I have a ton of respect for her. I know she’s gonna come back and win this thing again,” Emma Navarro said.

Interestingly, this marks the second time Navarro has advanced to a Grand Slam quarterfinal by defeating Gauff in the fourth round. The first occurrence was at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.

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