"I deserve to be on this stage": Emma Navarro upbeat after beating Coco Gauff at US Open

America’s young tennis star Emma Navarro believes that she ‘deserves’ to be on the stage after securing a memorable win in the US Open. The fourth and final Grand Slam of the year is approaching its business end, and the remaining players are giving their all to secure the ultimate prize.

One of the most significant results in the women’s singles category came on Sunday, when Navarro defeated the defending champions, Coco Gauff, in the fourth round with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. With that result, the New York-born star booked her place in the last-eight of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year. It is the first time that Navarro has cemented her spot in the quarterfinal of the US Open.

The 23-year-old, while talking to the media after the match, stated that she believes she ‘deserve’ to be at the stage after producing arguably one of the biggest wins of her career. Navarro highlighted that she did not feel overwhelmed by the situation, which helped her bring her A-game to the court.

"I've been out on big courts before where I just felt totally overwhelmed and almost like it's an out-of-body experience, but I didn't feel like that today," she said. "I felt comfortable from the time I stepped out onto the court, which I was a little bit surprised about. I kind of had prepared myself for the worst just in terms of feeling overwhelmed and nervous. I think I'm totally different, definitely, as a player. I play more aggressive, every part of my game has improved. Also I just play with more confidence and more belief. I think I believe that I can play tennis with the best players in the world. I deserve to be on this stage, I belong in these rounds of Grand Slams and I can make deep runs."