Emma Navarro’s Quest for Perfection, And How It Helps Her Thrive

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday September 3, 2024

New York—What does perfection appear to be for Emma Navarro? Her longtime coach, Peter Ayers answered that query on Tuesday in New York.

Ayers, who has labored with Navarro since her junior days, says perfection isn’t a shot or a rating – it’s a mindset.

“One of many first instances that we sat down collectively, , going again to when she was 14 years outdated, and we alluded to this,” he stated. “So you are a perfectionist, most excessive achievers are, and it is a good high quality if it is utilized in a wholesome, sustainable approach.

“So I stated, this is what I would like you to try to be excellent at. I would like you to try to be excellent at bouncing again. Stuff’s going to occur. You are competing in tennis, like, there’s going to be adversity each time you play.”

We’ve seen that bounce again mentality from Navarro right here on the US Open. She went on walkabout and dropped the center set to Coco Gauff throughout her fourth-round battle with the defending champ. Reasonably than hold her head she held it excessive and reset to play a strong third set that received her the victory.

Ayers says that adversity is welcome in Group Navarro. It’s not the tip of the world, it’s a possibility to bounce again.

“When one thing hostile occurs, one thing unfavourable occurs, you get a foul line name otherwise you break a string or the solar is in your eyes, no matter, enjoy, ‘Oh, that is nice. You recognize, this is a chance to bounce again,’” he stated.

Navarro has been an ideal pupil for Ayers, embracing the mentality to, effectively, perfection.

“I feel it is simple to be powerful if you’re taking part in nice tennis and every part’s working effectively, and also you’re hitting all of your photographs effectively and issues are simply going easy, however I feel toughness is when you possibly can proceed to go after your photographs and play aggressive tennis when some doubt creeps in and if you’re not 100% positive about simply sure photographs or the way you’re taking part in,” she stated.

Navarro, who will play her maiden main semifinal in her eighth main look, had by no means received a principal draw match on the US Open previous to this yr.

She rallied from 5-1 down within the second set on Tuesday to take out Paula Badosa, 6-2, 7-5.

“I feel it is the power to not get discouraged by issues not going your approach or by you making errors,” she stated. “You recognize, you are simply type of simply unfazed by the issues which might be taking place on the market, and simply the power to maintain coming level after level, sport after sport and by no means hitting that restrict of, , I’ve missed X quantity of this particular shot and I simply can’t take it anymore.

“Simply not letting that occur.”