Interview: [WC] Emma Navarro lost to [4] Ons Jabeur 3-6 2-6 – 2nd round

Interview: [WC] Emma Navarro lost to [4] Ons Jabeur 3-6 2-6 – 2nd round

ROUND OF 32: E. Navarro lost to O. Jabeur – 3-6 2-6

Question: Emma, it was kind of a match, over two days. How did you feel last night and then how did you feel coming into today?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah. It’s tough to come out and play four points and leave. I wanted to play a little bit more. But, yeah, good performance last night. I think I’ve played a lot of good points, for sure. She’s a great player. You know, tough slice, dropshots. She’s super crafty. Yeah, she made it tough on me. Wish I could have played a bit more today, but, yeah, overall I’m happy.

Question: Going off that, what can you take away from your experience this week and then playing against somebody of the caliber of Ons?

NAVARRO: Yeah, for sure. I think it gives me a bit of confidence going into the rest of my tennis journey just knowing that I can hang with some of the best players in the world. I’m happy with my progress this far, and yeah, hope I can keep improving and see what I can do.

Question: What sort of impressed you most about her game? And how do you feel like you matched up against that? And then what are some of the learning experiences do you feel like you’ll take from it?

NAVARRO: Yeah. I think she has an impressive all-around game. You know, like I said, she can use the slice really well. She pulls out the dropshot and backs it up really well. You know, she hits it and she’s ready for anything. And then, also, I think she plays really smart game. She serves really intelligently, returns, too. So, yeah, I think — I can sort of model my game a little bit after that, and using that variety is something I try to do often. So, yeah, just continuing to bring that into my game.

Question: What were you thinking last night when you went home? Like I know you were like dreading having to come back for a possible four points. Do you go to bed and think I can pull this thing out tomorrow and regroup? Like what are you thinking when you go home knowing that it’s like three or four points?

NAVARRO: Yeah. It’s tough. It’s like going to bed with unresolved issues. But, yeah, after the match I was replaying that forehand at 2-4 break point that I missed in the net. That one hurt a little bit. But, yeah, obviously I was coming out here today planning on an epic comeback. Didn’t happen. But, yeah, I went home last night thinking it was possible.

Question: And I know Virginia has two matches this weekend. What are your plans? Are you planning to go back for that or are you going to hang out here in Charleston? What are your plans for the weekend?

NAVARRO: Yeah. I’m going to head back to Charlottesville. We play Wake Forest tomorrow at 4, I think it is, and then NC State on Sunday. So, yeah, looking forward to getting back out there with Virginia.

Question: How hard is it to go back to eating dorm room food and stuff like that when you’re the players tent here and you’re hanging out with the top players in the world and you’re back eating dorm room food tonight or tomorrow morning?

NAVARRO: Yeah. It’s weird. But it’s kind of become more normal than it should be maybe. But, yeah, I have a lot of fun being a college kid and eating not great food. So I look forward to go back to school and play with the team and be in that environment.

Question: I probably should know this, but I don’t. What is your major

NAVARRO: Business at the moment. I might shift over to Econ, but at the moment, business.

Question: So with the NCAA title, another one, would that be the next goal or how do you see the next — when you look at the spring and summer, what are the next things that you want to accomplish?

NAVARRO: Yeah. I honestly don’t set too many results-oriented goals for myself. I like to really focus on the process, and results will come or they won’t come. And as long as I’m continuing to keep improving every day, I trust that they’ll come at some point. But, yeah, I would love to win another national championship. I think that would be great. And then, yeah, just continuing to see what I can do on the pro tour.

Question: A lot of players have mentioned this week that they have learned how to focus on the process rather than don’t look too far ahead. Did that come natural to you or did you have to develop some skills to learn how to do it?

NAVARRO: Yeah. I think a little bit of it came naturally, but also, I’ve had a really good team around me since I was really young, sort of engraining that in me. And I’ve never really focused too much on results. And, yeah, I’ve been really lucky to just have a great group of people around me that have kept that mindset. So, yeah.

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Emma Navarro