US Open 2024: Emma Navarro addresses tense Olympic exchange with Zheng Qinwen ahead of semi-final meeting with Aryna Sabalenka

Both athletes had tense exchange at Paris Olympics.

American tennis star Emma Navarro has shed light on her tense exchange with China’s Zheng Qinwen at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. The incident, which caught many off guard due to Navarro’s typically composed demeanor, has been a topic of speculation in the tennis world.

Following her straight-set victory over former world No. 2 Paula Badosa in the US Open quarterfinals, Navarro addressed the Olympic confrontation. “I don’t want to go super into the weeds with it,” Navarro stated, “but I think during that match and on the practice court and the last few times I’ve played her, I felt just a little bit disrespected by her.”

Emma Navarro was asked about what she said to Qinwen Zheng at the net at the Olympics, ‘I think she didn't necessarily treat me or the sport with respect’“Since you could play Zheng next, I wonder if you could explain what you said after the match in Paris and what you meant by… pic.twitter.com/mfqclFzKIE

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 3, 2024

The 23-year-old American, seeded 13th at the US Open, elaborated on her post-match comments in Paris, where she described Zheng as “cut-throat.” Navarro emphasized that her remarks weren’t an emotional outburst but rather a reflection of her overall experience with Zheng, dating back to their junior circuit days.

“I think she didn’t necessarily treat me or the sport with respect. That’s why I said what I said after the match,” Navarro explained. She maintained that her sentiments weren’t influenced by the match outcome, adding, “Even if I had won, I probably would have said the same thing. You know, it wasn’t a sort of, in-the-moment emotional thing, it was just kind of how I felt.”

The incident gained significant attention, with Zheng revealing that Navarro had questioned how she had “a lot of fans.” In response, Zheng expressed openness to addressing any concerns, stating, “If she’s not happy, she can come and tell me. I would like to correct it to become a better player and a better person.”

When asked if she had spoken to Zheng since the Olympics, Navarro replied, “No, I haven’t spoken to her since. And, no, I didn’t surprise myself. I felt that way the whole match.” She added, “I think it got a lot more attention than I thought it was going to. Yeah, I think, you know, maybe it’s just one person’s opinion.”

Emma Navarro sadly wont have chance for a crack against Chinese player who was ousted by last year’s US Open runner up Aryna Sabalenka, who is also semifinals opponent for Navarro.

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