Emma Navarro earns Donna Vekic's mentor Pam Shriver's backing amid immense backlash over Hong Kong 125 participation after China Open exit
Former American tennis player Pam Shriver has defended Emma Navarro's decision to compete in the WTA 125 event in Hong Kong following her early exit from the China Open. The 23-year-old recently faced criticism for this choice.
After an impressive North American hard-court swing, where she reached the semifinals of the Canadian Open, Abierto GNP Seguros, and the 2024 US Open, Navarro struggled to maintain that form at the China Open. The American suffered a straight-set defeat in the first round to home favorite Zhang Shuai.
Navarro later announced her participation in the WTA 125 event in Hong Kong, sharing the update on her Instagram story.
"Hey, guys. Emma Navarro here. Just wanted you to know I am gonna be playing at the 125 here in Hong Kong next week. Really excited to be here and hopefully gonna see this city a little bit and play some great tennis so looking forward to see you guys there," she wrote.
However, Navarro's decision did not please many fans, who argued that her participation could potentially deny lower-ranked players the opportunity to compete.
Moreover, tennis podcaster Myles David also spoke out against the World No. 8's decision on X, questioning why a top-10 player like her would participate in a lower-tier Challenger-level event.
"Can someone explain to me how Emma Navarro, currently the 8th best player on the women’s tennis tour, is a top seed at a Challenger level (below top tier) tournament in Hong Kong next week?"
In response, Donna Vekic's coach backed Emma Navarro's decision, explaining that competing in a WTA 125 event is a smart strategy to avoid a long gap before the next WTA 1000 tournament.
"We thought about playing this challenger too if a first-round loss in Beijing. These 1000s over two weeks can mean a long wait until next tournament. Playing the 125 is smart," she wrote.
Emma Navarro to face Viktorija Golubic in the first round of the Hong Kong 125 open
Emma Navarro has had a solid season, boasting a record of 50-21. As the top seed in Hong Kong, the American aims to secure her second tour-level title of the year, having previously won in Hobart at the start of the season. Navarro will start her WTA 125 event against Viktorija Golubic marking her first encounter against the Swiss.
Meanwhile, Golubic enters Hong Kong with a 17-17 match record this year, with her best result being a third-round finish at the Australian Open. The Swiss player has struggled on the WTA tour, not managing to secure more than two consecutive victories.
The winner of this match will either face Australia's Kimberly Birrell or a qualifier in the second round.
The tournament in Hong Kong will be Navarro's third WTA 125 event of the year. The 23-year-old previously competed at the Catalonia Open and the WTA 125K in Paris.