US Open: Emma Navarro, the woman who beat defending champion Coco Gauff

Emma Navarro's 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory over defending champion Coco Gauff at the U.S. Open earned her a trip to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Grand Slam tournament.

Before this year's appearance in New York, Navarro had never been past the first round at Flushing Meadows.

I believe that I can play tennis with the best players in the world. I deserve to be on this stage, Navarro said. I belong in these rounds of Grand Slams. I can make deep runs.

Who is Emma Navarro? Navarro is 23, was born in New York which she made sure to mention during her post-match interview at Arthur Ashe Stadium and grew up in South Carolina.

Her father, Ben, is the billionaire founder and CEO of Sherman Financial Group. He owns the WTA Tour event in Charleston and attempted to buy the NFL's Carolina Panthers in 2018.

Navarro played college tennis at the University of Virginia and won an NCAA singles championship for the school as a freshman in 2021.

When I first left college, my coach and I