An interview with:
EMMA NAVARRO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please, for Emma Navarro.
Q. You have had a very bright 2024, especially reaching the quarterfinals of the women's singles at the US Open. What are your expectations and goals for your upcoming participation in the Wuhan Open? What do you think of the facilities and environment here?
EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, I've been here for a couple days now. Today is my second day of practice. Yeah, facilities are really nice. Courts are a little bit slower, I think. The balls, as well, are a little bit slower. They fluff up a good bit. But yeah, all in all good conditions.
I'm happy to be here, excited to be here. Yeah, I'd love to make a run. I'm looking forward to trying to make the WTA Finals at the end of the year. That's kind of the goal for me right now.
Yeah, there's just a few tournaments left. Going to try to make a final push towards the end of the season.
Q. You've made such deep runs this year. How does it feel maybe negotiating the end of the year where you're probably more tired than you've been at this stage previously?
EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, this is my first full year on tour playing on the WTA Tour full-time. I'm definitely feeling the effects of that a little bit. I think I've played almost 75 matches this year, which is a lot. It's been a lot of travel, a lot of ups, but also some downs, for sure. It takes a toll on you mentally, ups and downs. Yeah, there's been a lot to take in this year. I'm feeling that a little bit.
But, yeah, I think since I've been here in China I've gotten more so to the place I want to be mentally where I'm excited and ready to take on these last few tournaments.
Q. I saw you participated in the Hong Kong tournament. Your ranking points are a little bit ahead of Zheng Qinwen. Did you have the points in mind when you participated in Hong Kong?
EMMA NAVARRO: No. The points in Hong Kong actually didn't even count towards the race to the Finals. It was more just I was going to have a week and a half of training after I lost in Beijing, which is a long time to just be training. I wanted to go and try to stay match-ready. Yeah, that was my reasoning for playing Hong Kong.
Q. Coming into Wuhan, in terms of the facilities, equipment and your impression of Wuhan as a city?
EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, the facilities are really nice. Courts are nice. Everyone has been super helpful and welcoming. Yeah, it's been nice to come here, feel like we're being treated really well. It's awesome. Yeah, that's been great. The hotel is really nice. Got out a little bit and walked around yesterday.
Yeah, Wuhan has been treating me well so far.
Q. I saw you posted some interesting videos while you were in Beijing. Your social media in China, TikTok, Weibo, you have a lot of fans. Do you have interest in expanding your impact on Chinese social media platforms?
EMMA NAVARRO: Yeah, social media has never really been my thing. I guess I'm embracing a little bit, sharing more of a my life outside the court on social media. It's definitely different. It's not my nature, I guess, to want to post a bunch on social media and share my life to a lot of strangers on the Internet.
I think that's kind of part of the job, it's part of the role I signed up for. I'm embracing it a little bit more.
Yeah, I had some fun moments in Beijing there dancing with 'The Aunties', I heard they're called. Yeah, playing ping-pong with them, doing their warm-up exercises. That was kind of fun, yeah (smiling).
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports