AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2025

Emma Navarro

Press Conference

E. NAVARRO/O. Jabeur

6-4, 3-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Emma, that was quite a performance today. Your thoughts on how you did out there.

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, it was really tough. I think Ons played a great match. I think I came out playing really well. Yeah, at 5-0 she started kind of just swinging out on the ball, taking a lot of risk, and executing.

It was tough, but just tried to hold my composure there to close out the first. Then I think she played a great second set. Definitely could have done some things better. Yeah, then I think third set was just a lot about toughness and staying resilient and staying within myself.

Definitely happy to get the win today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Are you feeling with each match that you are playing yourself into form? Are you feeling and seeing the gains match by match in terms of where you want to be?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, for sure. Like I said few days ago, it was tough coming back to match play after a little bit of a longer off-season. I feel like, yeah, for sure, with each match I'm finding myself a little bit more on the court.

I think today was definitely the best match I've played so far this year. Yeah, I'll be hoping to continue that form as the tournament goes on.

Q. You really love playing three sets?

EMMA NAVARRO: I do (smiling). I work really hard on my fitness, on my ability to go the distance and stick in there for as long as it takes.

I always tell myself that before I go out on the court, Don't be afraid to stay out there for as long as it takes. I'm really not afraid to go two, three hours, whatever it may be.

Yeah, I mean, of course I'd rather win in two. I kind of love the grind of three sets.

Q. If you do lose a second set, what are you telling yourself?

EMMA NAVARRO: Tank the second (laughter).

No, I guess just like staying super patient, staying calm, playing my game, not backing off of the way I know that I want to play and the way I practice playing.

Q. Does it feel different here to say the US Open form-wise? Do you feel like you're at a different level that you're trying to find again or do you think you're already there?

EMMA NAVARRO: It's different. I think I'm an evolving player, and I'm always working on improving myself. I'm not afraid to make a change in order to reap the benefits of that later down the line.

Yeah, I am playing a different game, starting to see the positives of that.

Q. When you say "a different game," different how?

EMMA NAVARRO: Just continually more aggressive and more confident. I think I stick to my game plan more than I have in the past. I know what I do well. I don't waver from that. That's my plan and that's what I'm going to stick to.

Q. In terms of just the start of the season, was there ever any panic, any nervousness, that the first couple of outings didn't go your way, maybe you weren't playing at the level you were practicing at? Ever any sense of worry or were you okay?

EMMA NAVARRO: No, it was good. I think something about me is I'm not really one to panic. I trust myself. I trust my coach and the rest of my team. Even if I have a few matches that don't go my way. Even after, whatever it was, Adelaide, I was feeling super positive about the path I was on. Even though the results didn't show that, I felt like I was capable of playing the best tennis I've ever played. I still feel like that.

I think I'm working myself towards that. So, yeah, no panic. Just everything is part of the journey.

Q. What will you do the rest of this afternoon? You've been playing these early slots. Particularly this afternoon, Taylor and Ben and Learner playing, do you pay any attention of that?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, I'll put the TV on and definitely watch those guys. Hopefully they'll be showing it on TV here. We only have a couple of channels I think that are showing it. Hopefully the American guys will be on.

But yeah, just get a good recovery session in, eat some food, watch some tennis, get to bed early.

Q. On the changes that you've been making, it's interesting to think of how well you did last year, that you would get to the end of the season and want to make any changes. How did that process take place? Was it a question of reviewing your year as you looked ahead?

EMMA NAVARRO: I've always been on this path of continually trying to improve myself. There will probably always be things I can get better at, and it's part of the reason why I love tennis so much, is there's so many different parts of it, so many things you can always be working on.

So yeah, probably until the end of my career I'll always be trying to improve. It's something that keeps me just super engaged and keeps me, yeah, coming back to the courts every day trying to always just get better.

So yeah, it wasn't really a question of am I going to try to change these things, but I guess what's at the top of the priority list and what I want to spend the most energy on.

Q. I think you face Dash yet. What are the challenges that a player plays the way she does present to you?

EMMA NAVARRO: Honestly, I don't think I've really watched her play too much. I practiced with her maybe one time last year. So I don't know a ton about her game.

But I think she moves super well and is able to play really well out of corners. So I think just playing with a lot of patience and just being confident in doing what I do best will be two important things.