Emma Navarro Advances to NCAA Singles Championship Match

ORLANDO, Fla. – Virginia women’s tennis freshman Emma Navarro (Charleston, S.C.) has advanced to the finals of the 2021 NCAA Women’s Tennis Singles Championship with a victory on Thursday (May 27) at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.

Navarro (24-1) defeated top-seed Sara Daavettila (22-2) of North Carolina in the semifinals 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. Daavettila is ranked No. 2 in the ITA Singles rankings but is the No. 1 seed in the championship.

Navarro will face another Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in Friday’s championship match in Estrela Perez-Somarriba of Miami. Perez-Somarriba (24-2) is the No. 2 seed in the championship but is currently No. 1 in the ITA singles rankings. Perez-Somarriba, the 2019 NCAA Singles Champion, is the only player that Navarro has lost to this year, winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 when the two faced off in a dual in Coral Gables on April 4.

Navarro is the second player in program history to advance to the NCAA Singles final joining two-time national champion Danielle Collins (2014 and 2016).

The match is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. and will stream live on the TennisOne app.

FROM EMMA NAVARRO

“It feels really good [to be going to the finals]. I’ve worked really hard this season. I wasn’t feeling my best at the start of this tournament. I was feeling a little tired, a little worn out, so I’m happy with how I was able to fight today and the past four or five days. To get to this point it’s really special. And playing for a school like UVA. I’m very grateful.

“I was pretty confident in the game plan I had in mind, it was just whether I could execute it well enough. In the second set I lost four deuce points, which is pretty tough. And then I was able to win a big one in the third set that kind of helped me to run away with it a little bit. But yeah, I was pretty calm and confident.”

On putting off a pro career to play at UVA

“I think this is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve had the most fun playing tennis this season at UVA, and I couldn’t have asked for a better coaching staff or a better team to have by my side. I’m sure you guys watching could hear them out there cheering for me. So I think it’s been really awesome. We have a great program in place on the court and off the court with fitness. And our team culture is awesome. So yeah, I’ve had a lot of fun.”

Navarro in the NCAA Singles Championship

• R64: Emma Navarro (UVA) def. Hailey Giavara (Cal) 7-6 (3), 6-2
• R32: Emma Navarro (UVA) def. Ilze Hattingh (ASU) 1-6, 7-5, 6-0
• R16: Emma Navarro (UVA) def. Meg Kowalski (UGA) 6-1, 6-1
• QF: Emma Navarro (UVA) def. Paris Corley (LSU) 6-2, 6-1
• SF: Emma Navarro (UVA) def. Sara Daavettila (UNC) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2