Ex-Slam finalist shuts down criticism on No. 8 Emma Navarro signing up for Challenger

1978 US Open runner-up and Donna Vekic’s mentor Pam Shriver shut down criticism directed at Emma Navarro over the American tennis star signing up for a WTA 125 event in Hong Kong, suggesting that if anybody has issues with that then ought to blame the schedule. 

On Friday, the sixth-seeded American suffered a shock exit on the WTA 1000 event in Beijing after world No. 595 Zhang Shuai upset her 6-4 6-2. After seeing her China Open marketing campaign finish method sooner than she in all probability anticipated. the 2024 US Open semifinalist accepted a really late wildcard into this week’s occasion in Hong Kong. 

“Hey, guys. Emma Navarro right here. Simply needed you to know I’m gonna be taking part in on the 125 right here in Hong Kong subsequent week. Actually excited to be right here and hopefully gonna see this metropolis somewhat bit and play some nice tennis so wanting ahead to see you guys there,” Navarro introduced through a video clip.

Because the WTA 125 stage is principally the identical because the Challenger stage on the ATP Tour, some had been left stunned to see a top-10 participant accepting to play there however some additionally had robust reactions and criticized the 23-year-old as some felt she was “stealing” a spot from a lower-ranked participant. 

A kind of who reacted was tennis podcaster Myles David – who did not criticize Navarro – however simply publicly questioned the way it was doable for a top-10 participant to enter a WTA 125 event and be the highest seed there.

“Can somebody clarify to me how Emma Navarro, at the moment the eighth finest participant on the ladies’s tennis tour, is a prime seed at a Challenger stage (beneath prime tier) event in Hong Kong subsequent week?” he requested.

Shriver solutions why Navarro made that transfer 

Because the world No. 8 misplaced in Beijing on September twenty seventh and the Wuhan Open is beginning on October seventh, she would go 10 days with out motion if she did not join any of this week’s tournaments. After making that clear, Shriver urged that Vekic would have finished the identical had she misplaced to Viktorija Golubic in her opening match on the China Open. 

“We thought of taking part in this challenger too if a first-round loss in Beijing. These 1000s over two weeks can imply an extended wait till subsequent event. Taking part in the 125 is sensible,” Shriver defined.

We thought of taking part in this challenger too if a primary spherical loss in Beijing. These 1000s over two weeks can imply an extended wait till subsequent event. Taking part in the 125 is sensible.

— Pam Shriver (@PHShriver) September 29, 2024

With the present guidelines on the Tour, top-10 stars are very restricted with regards to competing within the WTA 250 class – which is the bottom a part of the primary stage. That is in all probability one of many explanation why some had been shocked after seeing Navarro in Hong Kong. 

However after checking the principles e-book, David realized that in these circumstances, there was nothing that was blocking the world No. 8 from getting into this week’s Challenger occasion.

“That is sensible. I hadn’t actually sat with the truth that Beijing was additionally greater than only a 1 week 1000 and what the choices are like for gamers who lose earlier on. And now i see it’s form of baked into the principles to permit that flexibility for gamers,” the podcaster added.

That is sensible. I hadn’t actually sat with the truth that Beijing was additionally greater than only a 1 week 1000 and what the choices are like for gamers who lose earlier on. And now i see it’s form of baked into the principles to permit that flexibility for gamers. pic.twitter.com/3ua48r3mWZ

— Myles David (@TunedIntoTennis) September 29, 2024

“It was powerful to see her going via the streak, however truthfully via all of it you’ll have by no means seen she was going via that. I’ve seen her actually 5 minutes after matches and he or she would nonetheless say hello to me and be so excited to see me, which, I am not like that after I lose. That simply reveals the kind of particular person she is. I’ve discovered lots from her,” the world No. 6 instructed WTA Insider.

Navarro suffered some of the surprising defeats of the 2024 season in Beijing

Since Zhang was on a 24-match shedding streak and method out of constructing the lower for a WTA 1000 event, she made the China Open draw as a wildcard. At this level, she was inching nearer to tying or breaking Madeleine Pegel’s WTA report of 29 consecutive losses on the WTA Tour. 

However by gorgeous the No. 4 seed, the 35-year-old Chinese language made positive some of the unfavorable information on the Tour would stay as it’s. 

For the American tennis star, it was actually not the beginning she hoped to have in Asia. With that being stated, there’s doubt that Navarro will attempt to do significantly better in Hong Kong, the place she begins by taking up Golubic within the first spherical.