Emma Navarro news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Emma Navarro beat Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-2 to reach the 2026 US Open quarterfinals.
She then lost to Jessica Pegula, ending her deepest major run since 2024.
Background
Navarro, a Charleston native and former NCAA champion at Virginia, reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the 2024 US Open but had not returned to a major quarterfinal since the 2025 Australian Open. At the 2026 US Open she was seeded No. 25 and faced Anna Kalinskaya, who had won both of their previous meetings. Her run drew extra attention because her father, billionaire Ben Navarro, owns the Charleston Open and the Cincinnati Open, and because she was scheduled on Arthur Ashe Stadium while No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula played on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
How it unfolded
- Sep 6, 2026Navarro beats Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-2 in the fourth round on Arthur Ashe Stadium, advancing to her fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal.
- Sep 8, 2026Navarro faces No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula in an all-American quarterfinal.
- Sep 8, 2026Pegula comes back from a set down to beat Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, ending Navarro's tournament.
Who’s saying what
- Public
- Some fans complained that Navarro, seeded 26th, was given Arthur Ashe Stadium while No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula played on Louis Armstrong Stadium, calling it favoritism.
- Analysts
- Coverage noted Navarro's calm on-court demeanor and her straight-sets win over a player who had beaten her twice before.
Still unverified
The 'favoritism' accusation over court scheduling is a fan complaint reported by Yahoo Sports/Athlon Sports, not an official finding; the exact seed number for Navarro differs across sources (26th, 25th, and No. 27 in one report).