Emma Navarro makes honest admission about awkward dance with her billionaire father Ben after Merida Open triumph
Emma Navarro recently opened up about the dance she had with her billionaire father, Ben, after winning the 2025 Merida Open. Navarro secured the title by defeating qualifier Emiliana Arango with a flawless 6-0, 6-0 victory and claimed her second WTA Tour title and the first WTA 500 title of her career.
Navarro is competing in South Carolina at the 2025 Charleston Open, a tournament owned by her father after he acquired Charleston Tennis LLC in 2018. The World No.11 is seeded fourth in the tournament, and she began her run in the second round after receiving a first-round bye.
Emma Navarro faced fellow American Hailey Baptiste in her opening match, triumphing with a score of 6-4, 6-3, and advanced to the third round of the WTA 500 claycourt tournament.
During a post-match interview with Tennis Channel, Navarro humorously discussed the victory dance she shared with her father after her Merida Open win. She mentioned that she still keeps the Mexican wide-brimmed hat, the sombrero she received during the trophy presentation, in her car, revealing that anyone who rides with her has to wear it.
“That sombrero. I actually stole it. I don’t know if I was supposed to keep it or not, but it’s sitting in the back of my car, and whenever anyone rides in my car, I make them put on the sombrero. Yeah, I’m like the Uber driver with the sombrero,” Navarro said [3:53].
Reflecting on the dance, Emma Navarro joked that she and her father should have practiced their moves more, as the dance appeared awkward. She playfully added that it was not a true reflection of her dancing abilities.
“But yeah, I think we should have practiced our dance moves a little bit. I don’t know what was going on there. And the sombrero, I’m not sure it fit how it was supposed to, so yeah, I couldn’t. That wasn’t a good display of my dance moves. I want to make that clear . Okay, guys, don’t hold me to that, okay? Okay,” she added [4:09].
Before beginning her campaign at the 2025 Charleston Open, Emma Navarro competed at the Miami Open, where she was defeated in the second round by Emma Raducanu.
Emma Navarro will face Ashlyn Krueger at the 2025 Charleston Open 3R
![Emma Navarro at the 2025 Charleston Open [Image Source: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/3f65d-17436498626345-1920.jpg?w=500)
Emma Navarro will compete against her compatriot Ashlyn Krueger in the third round of the 2025 Charleston Open.
Krueger entered the WTA 500 clay court tournament after competing at the 2025 Miami Open, where she defeated Renata Zarazua and seventh seed Elena Rybakina in the first and second rounds, respectively. She then triumphed over 26th seed Leylah Fernandez in the third round before being defeated by ninth seed Zheng Qinwen in the fourth round.
Ashlyn Krueger, seeded 15th at the Charleston Open, began her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She defeated compatriot Katie Volynets 6-3, 7-6(4) in her opening match to advance to the third round, where she will take on Navarro.
Emma Navarro and Ashlyn Krueger have faced each other once before, in the final of the 2023 Boars Head Resort Women's Open in Charlottesville. Navarro emerged victorious with a dominant 6–1, 6–1 to claim the title.
The winner of the third-round clash between Navarro and Krueger will advance to the quarterfinals to take on either eighth seed Amanda Anisimova or 10th seed Yulia Putintseva at the 2025 Charleston Open.