WTA World No. 10 Emma Navarro has overcome a stern test from 4-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a Round of 16 encounter at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany.
The 24-year-old American dug deep, breaking her Japanese opponent thrice to eke out a clinical straight sets win. The American, however, is set for an even sterner test against her compatriot, top-seeded Jessica Pegula.
Pegula is the daughter of billionaires Terry and Kim Pegula, owners of the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, and several minor league hockey teams. Navarro’s billionaire father, Ben, is one of America’s largest buyers of consumer debt.
Navarro, in the post-match interview, shared what she thinks of her fellow American heiress Pegula ahead of their highly anticipated encounter.
Emma Navarro Lavished Praise on Fellow US Player Jessica Pegula Ahead of the Match
Emma Navarro has described her older compatriot as “awesome,” saying Pegula “has been a really great role model” for her growing up.
“And, we have shared a lot of great experiences on the court and off court,” she pointed out.
Last year, Navarro played an exhibition tennis match against Pegula at Madison Square Garden as part of “The Garden Cup”. The event also included Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton.
The duo also featured together as a part of the US tennis team at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
“I think she’s awesome and she brings a great energy to the tour,” Navarro said of Pegula. “She is very chill, very relaxed and very smart as well, so I have a lot to learn from her.”
“I don’t know if it’s the sound in the stadium or if these are actual words I’ve never heard before” ðŸ˜
Safe to say Emma isn’t an expert on German cuisine 😅#BadHomburg pic.twitter.com/3kwXp7JJZT
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 24, 2025
However, Navarro chose to stay mum when asked about her strategy for the forthcoming encounter.
“I can’t say too much,” she said. “I’m playing (Jessica Pegula) next round and she might be listening from the hotel, so I can’t give away too much.”
“I gotta keep my cards close to my chest, but I think I played a lot of good tennis.”
Navarro admitted that Osaka “made it tough” on her, adding that “definitely there are some things” she has to fix ahead of her clash with Pegula.
“So I’m looking forward to improving for the next round,” she said.
How Navarro and Pegula Have Fared on the WTA Tour in 2025
The 31-year-old Pegula has consistently made deep runs this year, while also winning two titles on the WTA Tour, the ATX Open and the Charleston Open.
Navarro, 24, has had a less spectacular season, but she did manage to win the WTA 500 Mérida Open in Mexico. At the recently held French Open, while Pegula managed to make it to the fourth round, Navarro was shown the exit in the first round.
The duo appears to be finding its footing on the grass at Bad Homburg, which has attracted a number of serious Wimbledon contenders this year.
Pegula’s best result at Wimbledon was a QF finish in 2023, while Navarro managed a similar result last year.
