By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Photo: Garrett Ellwood/US Open/USTA
NEW YORK – Core powerhouses lead the pack of US Open quarterfinalists.
of Emma Navarro the skill set is more subtle than that, he says Paula Badosa.
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In a rare clash of New York City-born players, Navarro rattled off six straight games, rallying from 1-5 down in the second set, to defeat Badosa 6-2, 7-5 and advance to the her first major semi-final in the US. Open.
One round after she knocked out the defending champion Coco Gauff at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Navarro played with more clarity and composure, conquering Badosa.
Badosa then cited two essential elements of Navarro’s success: competitive composure and a complete game.
“She’s a very complete player, first of all, and that’s very important when you go to a slam to put your emotions on the side,” Badosa said. “That’s probably the thing that sometimes I don’t deal with well.
“She does that very well. Then she’s very talented. Very good backhand and very good forehand. She has variety in her game, so that’s really important, and she’s a great player . So congratulations to him.”
Hobart champion Navarro will face either Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka or Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen for a place in Saturday afternoon’s US Open final.
