Interview: Emma Navarro – 2R (def. Katie Volynets 6-1 6-1)

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Round of 32 – Emma Navarro (USA) def. Katie Volynets (USA) 6-1 6-1

MODERATOR: Emma, great win in front of the home crowd. Your thoughts on your performance?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah. Played really well today. I didn’t even know this. I thought I had only played her twice, but apparently I was 0 and 3 against her. So definitely good to, yeah, get the win tonight. And played some good tennis, and, yeah, really fun playing at home in front of the Charleston crowd. And my friends and family are out tonight. So, yeah, definitely special playing at home.

Q. Different deal for you this time being a highly seeded player and wanting to make it deep. Did you feel that difference out there along with the home crowd? I know you’re very busy, like, but what was that feeling, all of that, like tonight?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, definitely. I feel like I’m in a position to win this match, and I felt like I could take it to a level where maybe she couldn’t get to tonight. So definitely felt a little bit of pressure with that just knowing I can definitely win this match, but also just definitely felt the energy from the crowd, and was a really positive feeling out there tonight. And, yeah, it was cool to be able to get the win on that court, my first win on center court here at Credit One. So it’s pretty cool. Definitely a milestone for me.

Q. Knowing that it’s your hometown match. How difficult was it waiting in the rain today? I mean there’s nothing you could do about it, but was it awful to sit all day and wait?

EMMA NAVARRO: No. Definitely not awful. I’ve spent a lot of rain delays sitting in a hotel room or sitting at the site, and today I got to sit at home. So, yeah, that was not too bad.

Definitely tough waiting around all day, not knowing what time you’re going to play and not really being able to plan, you know, just on warmup times and eating schedule, stuff like that. So definitely unpredictable. But, yeah, had a better time than most rain delays being at home.

Q. Emma, you have a bit of a surprise opponent next, I think. Am I right that you’ve never played Jacqueline Cristian?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah. I haven’t played her.

Q. Do you know very much about her game?

EMMA NAVARRO: Never watched her play. Well, I guess like ten minutes last night against Keys. So just in the background. So, yeah, I don’t really know her game, but I’m sure my coach will come tomorrow with some good tips for me.

Q. Correct me if I’m wrong. I think you were in high school the first time you played here. Can you just put into words how far your life has come since then, how much has changed in between that match and today’s?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah. That match was probably, well, definitely on the biggest stage I had ever played on in my life, and looking back on that night, it’s pretty crazy just the difference of emotions and perspective that I had tonight compared to that night. I felt totally overwhelmed and like, you know, kind of out of body. I’d never played on a stadium like that, and, you know, especially I felt like the entire world was watching me. And tonight just didn’t feel like that at all. Felt much more comfortable, and like this is my home crowd and I’m here playing the sport I love. And so, yeah, definitely have come a long way from that night, and then I definitely didn’t think that I’d still be playing on that stage now. So it’s pretty cool to just come back to this tournament every year and remember years past and just the progress that I’ve made since then.