There are only two players in the top 25 WTA rankings that went to college: Danielle Collins Emma Navarro Both won NCAA singles titles at Virginia. #GoHoos 🔷⚔️🔶🎾
Navarro expresses gratitude to Danielle Collins after Olympic Games: 'She's taught me to be myself”
WTAMonday, 12 August 2024 at 05:00
Emma
Navarro expressed her gratitude to Danielle Collins after competing together in
the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Both players were singles representatives for
Team USA.
Collins is
about to end her career after announcing her retirement at the end of the
season. The American No. 3 has arguably had the best season of her career,
breaking into the top 10 and winning her first WTA 1000 title at the Miami
Open. However, both Navarro and Collins left Paris without medals.
"We have very different personalities on the court" - Emma Navarro
Navarro
competed this week in the Canadian Open with an outstanding performance,
reaching the semifinals of a WTA 1000 for the first time in her career. She
fell to her compatriot Amanda Anisimova on Sunday, narrowly missing the chance
to play in the final.
In the
midst of her participation in Toronto, Emma Navarro shared some words about her
compatriot and Olympic teammate, Danielle Collins: "Danielle is very
outgoing and expressive on the court, and she is unapologetically herself,
which I think is really cool,” Navarro said.
“Off the
court, she's just been super supportive. We got to play together at the
Olympics and cheer each other on, so that's been really cool. We have very
different personalities on the court, but I think she's taught me a little bit
about just being myself, and not everyone is going to like the way you approach
things, but don't let that affect you," said Navarro.
Emma Navarro at Indian Wells
The Olympic
performances of Collins and Navarro were marked by controversy. Navarro was
eliminated in the round of 16 by eventual gold medalist Zheng Qinwen and didn’t
hesitate to criticize the 21-year-old Chinese player: "I just told Qinwen
I didn't respect her as a competitor,” Navarro said in the post-match press
conference. “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," she added.
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On the
other hand, Collins was ousted in the quarterfinals by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek
and also made headlines for her statements. The American had a tense exchange
with her opponent after the match: "I told Iga that I see things happen in
front of the cameras and other things when we are in the locker room. Everyone
can be what they want but without falsehood."
Navarro
will return to the court this week at the Cincinnati Open, debuting against
teenager Mirra Andreeva, with whom she has no previous encounters. Collins
decided to skip the WTA 1000 tournaments in the hardcourt swing and will return
to competition next week in Monterrey, which will be her only preparation
tournament for the US Open.
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- Done, looks good!
AceOfBase17-09-2024 - FYI: The term 'snub' is a much overused verb by writers of sensationalist rags. [SNUB: rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully]. That is not the definition of what is going on with frequent withdrawals from tournaments.
mandoist16-09-2024 - No offence, Mr. Lloyd, but where have you been the past two years?? How long have you been a tennis fan? This 'article' may be informative for newbies or fair-weather tennis observers but the majority of fans know the root of the multiple issues within WTA. The #1 issue being the subject of health & well-being which has been (or has attempted to be) addressed with the WTA Elitist council members last season. WTA was extremely dismissive of players' concerns and opposed to such a meeting. Eventually giving-in due to publicity and allowed selective players only -- no rep's, no medical personnel, and no team members. The meeting was a farce as WTA soon after that released an even more hectic schedule... with mandatory tourneys! Guess they weren't taking notes?? BTW: There is a lot missing from this piece concerning "withdrawals". No writer has yet taken the jump to get behind the scenes and dig at the problems -- obvious organizational problems. IMO, the top two issues are WTA's lack of proper attention to health & well-being of its Money-Makers; and Financial Greed. Tip to Mr. Lloyd: there is no "snubbing" when these players withdraw. These women have to take such measures as withdrawing from a tourney, and occasional time-off from the circuit, to protect themselves -- because WTA refuses to take any measures at all (although not allowing matches until sunrise is a start). Surely you can do better than point fingers at players. The finger-pointing should be directed entirely at WTA (and ATP). Be a true journalist, Mr. Lloyd, and research them!!mandoist16-09-2024
- Uh-oh.... Now Raducanu is being forced to compete! Let's see who withdraws next... I wonder??mandoist15-09-2024
- And this is such a shock to WTA?? How many times are they (WTA & ATP) going to keep stepping in their own s*** ???mandoist15-09-2024
