Emma Navarro took aim at Qinwen Zheng saying she doesn't respect her after a dramatic defeat at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Navarro couldn't take advantage of a match point before losing in three sets in Paris. She took the first set 7-6 before leading 5-3 in the second. As a result, she looked very much likely to join only Danielle Collins out of the American Women in the Quarter-Finals.
But 'Queenwen' buoyed by Chinese support produced an incredible comeback. She claimed the second set 7-6 in the tie-break and this crushed Navarro. The American booked a Quarter-Final with Angelique Kerber next up. The 23-year-old American said that she doesn't respect her opponent. She quipped that it is for the way she carries herself.
"I just told her I didn't respect her as a competitor. I think she goes about things in a pretty cut-throat way," Navarro explained.
"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.
"But, kudos to her, she played some good tennis there at the end. She played better than me, so congrats to her."
The Chinese star's response was that if you want to say it, say it to my face and that she wants to make it better. But also that she doesn't feel any sort of offence as Navarro lost the match so potentially said it in the heat of the moment.
"She told me she doesn't know how I have a lot of fans. It looks like she's not happy with my behaviour 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."
Emma Navarro told Qinwen Zheng she doesn’t respect her as a competitor: "I just told her I didn't respect her as a competitor.” "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…
