Navarro on Root of Rift with Zheng

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood/US Open/USTA

NEW YORK—A long-time rivalry erupted into rift at the Paris Olympic Games.

Emma Navarro called out Zheng Qinwen following the Chinese superstar saving a match point to subdue the American 6-7(7), 7-6(4), 6-1 in Paris.

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Zheng went on to shock world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and defeat Donna Vekic to make history as the first Chinese player to capture the Olympic singles gold medal.

Today, Navarro defeated Paula Badosa to reach her maiden major semifinal at the US Open—where she will face either Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka or Zheng for a spot in the final.

If we see a Navarro vs. Zheng rematch it could be a grudge match.

Asked about their contentious clash in the Olympics today, Navarro said the rift is rooted in disrespect and dates back to their junior days.

“I don’t want to go super into the weeds with it, but I think during that match and, you know, on the practice court and the last few times I’ve played her, because we have been playing each other since we were juniors, I felt just a little bit disrespected by her,” Navarro said of Zheng. “You know, I don’t want to, like I said, go too into detail with it.

“But yeah, I think she didn’t necessarily treat me or the sport with respect. That’s why I said what I said after the match. But, yeah, that’s it.”

In fact after the Olympic loss, Navarro told Zheng she did not respect her and views the Chinese as “a cut-throat” competitor.

“I just told her I didn’t respect her as a competitor,” Navarro said when asked what she said during the pair’s heated exchange at the net after the match, according to the AFP. “I think she goes about things in a pretty cut-throat way. It makes for a locker room that doesn’t have a lot of camaraderie, so it’s tough to face an opponent like that, who I really don’t respect.”

The most unexpected drama of the day came after the incredible Zheng-Navarro battle.

Qinwen won after saving match point. The handshake was tense and explained by both players afterwords.

Navarro. “I just told her I didn’t respect her as a competitor. I think she goes about… pic.twitter.com/T6jYQFRaYp

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 30, 2024

Zheng took a partins shot in Paris when she said of Navarro’s jabs “I will not consider it an attack because she lost the match.”

“She told me she doesn’t know how I have a lot of fans,” the sixth-seeded Chinese said in Paris.

“It looks like she’s not happy with my behavior towards her. If she’s not happy about my behaviour, she can come and tell me. I would like to correct it to become a better player and a better person.

“I’m glad that she told me that. I will not consider it an attack because she lost the match.”

That tense handshake in Paris could be a prelude to a belligerant battle if they face off again.

Navarro revealed the rivals have not spoken since the blow-up in Paris.

“No, I haven’t spoken to her since. And, no, I didn’t surprise myself,” Navarro said. “I felt that way the whole match. Even if I had won, I probably would have said the same thing.

“You know, it wasn’t a sort of, in-the-moment emotional thing, it was just kind of how I felt. I think it got a lot more attention than I thought it was going to.”