THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2025

Emma Navarro

Press Conference

E. NAVARRO/B. Krejcikova

2-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Emma, could you just talk a little bit about the match today, please.

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, definitely not easy today. I think I didn't play my best. Yeah, it was tough conditions. We had a break at 1-All for the rain. Then she was dealing with some injury, some injury timeouts. It definitely was tough to find my rhythm a little bit.

But stuck in there, toughed it out. Yeah, kind of played really tough when I had to. So yeah, that was good on my end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After the first set, how did you change your game plan tactically? What was your game plan going in?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, I think first set I was kind of just playing too fast and playing into her game a little bit, kind of just letting her do what she wanted to do. I think she was doing it really well. She was executing really well for, yeah, that first set.

I kind of regrouped a little, tried to slow things down a bit from my side and make her look at some different shots, kind of just try to make her as uncomfortable as I could.

Yeah, I think that was better in the second and third.

Q. I think this is the second Grand Slam in four where you've beaten the defending champion. Is there anything different about a match when you're going up against the defending champion? Does that even enter your head? Do you notice anything about the way that person might play, the expectation they might have?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, definitely comes into play, especially on grass, where it's the more unique surface. If somebody's done really well on grass, it's more specific than somebody doing really well on a hard or a clay court.

Yeah, I was thinking about it a little bit, but tried to not let it carry too much weight in my head. Just play the opponent that was on the other side of the court today, and not worry about what she's done in the past or what I've done in the past. Just play the opponent today.

Yeah, that was my main focus with that.

Q. A pretty hard thing to do, knowing there is that person trying to separate the person today versus the person a year ago who's lifting up a trophy?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, for sure it's not easy. I put a lot of effort into the mental side of the game. I think it's so important. Something I put a lot of emphasis on is just being really tough and taking care of the things I can control. A lot of those are mentality-type things.

Yeah, that was a big emphasis of mine today. I think I did a good job with sort of dealing with that challenge of the day.

Q. Mirra spoke a bit about how you two had practiced together, what she likes about your game, that she likes you as a person. How would you describe the similarities and differences between the two of you, and what your expectation is for this match?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, I'm excited to play Mirra. Like she said, we practiced together in Germany. I think she's a fun player to play and watch. She has power, but she can also get scrappy. She'll get a ton of balls back. She's really strong on the run, out of corners. She'll make you hit that extra ball.

So yeah, it's kind of fun to play an opponent like that. So I'm looking forward to that. She has a big serve. It's definitely a weapon of hers.

Yeah, I'm excited for the matchup.

Q. What is your level of excitement to be at this stage of this tournament?

EMMA NAVARRO: It's super high. I think coming off of a match, especially one like today where it was kind of up and down, a little all over the place, definitely it takes a little bit of regrouping I guess and resetting.

Yeah, I think at the end of the day I'm super pumped to be where I'm at in the tournament. These are the days and the moments that you have to appreciate and enjoy 'cause they are fleeting. It's not going to be like this forever, so...

I'm trying to take it all in, really enjoy it. Of course, there's things that I want to improve on, things that I want to do better, but I'm trying to appreciate the moment and, yeah, just enjoy that. I get to play at Wimbledon. Now I'm in the fourth round. It's an incredible opportunity.

Yeah, I'm enjoying it as much as I can.

Q. What you were saying about the mental side of the game, how did you develop that? Is that something you continue to work on? Something you feel was always part of your makeup?

EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, I think just naturally I'm very stubborn I guess you could say. I try to use that stubbornness to my advantage. I think I'm also really tough on myself. I think the combination of those two make me really tough. Yeah, it's something I take a lot of pride in, is being tough and fighting till the last point no matter what the circumstances are.

Yeah, it's something I always try to do. I could never live with myself if I ever gave up. It's just not in my nature. I don't think it's in any of my family members' nature to ever give up on anything.

Yeah, I guess we're a stubborn bunch.

Q. From a tennis and strokes and strategic point of view, what are you most pleased with about the first week here?

EMMA NAVARRO: I think my serve has definitely served me well. I haven't always served the best, but I've been able to kind of troubleshoot it at times, use some different spins, kind of use how I'm feeling on a given day to my advantage with my serve. That's not something I was always able to do. I think I've made a lot of progress there.

I think my slice is coming along pretty nicely. I'm able to use that to my advantage, as well.

Yeah, played some good points off the ground. Played scrappy at times. Played tough. Hit some good groundstrokes, as well.

I feel pretty good about where I'm at.

Q. Looking at your body language and face expressions, from the beginning it looks like you didn't panic. The rain, the weather, something you are struggling, or your quick improvement on your game that now you have to deal with pressure and expectations?

EMMA NAVARRO: Maybe my focus comes across as tense. Yeah, I don't know. I feel focused. I wouldn't say tense. Definitely there were a lot of unique circumstances today just with the breaks and the weather.

So yeah, there were some different things to deal with. I would say more focus than anything.

Q. Not too many players will come in here and say I'm stubborn. Can you give us a specific example of that on and off court, but not those bicycle rides when you were a kid, please.

EMMA NAVARRO: Oh, man. Put me on the spot a little. I'm sure my team or my family would have a million stubborn stories for you.

I think something like really specific is my forehand. Every day I come to the practice court thinking optimistically that today is the day I'm going to hit it perfectly. Every single forehand I hit every practice, I'm thinking this is the one I'm going to hit perfectly. That's how it is the entire practice. Every day.

So yeah, I never lose the hope, I guess, that I'm going to hit the perfect forehand and things are going to be as easy as ever after that.

Yeah, that's something on court.

Hmmm, off court? I don't know. I'll have to think on that.