Emma Navarro, one of several women’s tennis players representing the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was eliminated in three sets by China’s Zheng Qinwen in the third round of the women’s singles.
But what happened after Tuesday’s game caused a stir at Roland Garros.
According to reports, Navarro and Zheng Zhi had a confrontation in front of the net. Zheng Zhi won 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 after getting the match point.
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Team USA’s Emma Navarro competes during the women’s singles first round match at Roland Garros during day two of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on July 28, 2024 in Paris, France The center backhand against Julia Grabher of the Austrian team. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The confrontation came into focus when reporters began asking Navarro questions after the game, and she certainly didn’t hide her feelings about Zheng, the seventh-ranked female tennis player in this year’s Olympics.
“I just told her that I didn’t respect her as a competitor,” Navarro said, via the New York Post. “I thought she was quite brutal in the way she handled things. It didn’t allow for a lot of camaraderie in the dressing room, so it was difficult to face an opponent like that and I really had no respect for him.”
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The intensity of the competition is one of the reasons the Olympics are so fun no matter the sport, and Zheng clearly takes it seriously, but Navarro doesn’t enjoy it.
While Navarro didn’t elaborate on the reasons for Zheng’s viciousness, the Chinese star took to the high road while revealing what Americans were saying online.
Emma Navarro of the United States competes with Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria during the women’s singles second round match on day three of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in Paris, France on July 29, 2024. Tomova) plays a forehand. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
“She told me she didn’t know how I had so many fans,” Zheng explained. “It seemed like she wasn’t happy with my behavior toward her. If she wasn’t happy with my behavior, she could have come and told me. I want to fix it and be a better player and a better person.”
Zheng, 21, said she was glad Navarro, 23, told her that in front of the net. However, she also offered some criticism in her answer.
“I wouldn’t consider it an attack because she lost the game,” Zheng said.
Zheng Jie will enter the women’s singles quarterfinals and face German player Angelique Kerber.
US tennis star Emma Navarro made some controversial remarks after losing to Qinwen Zheng at the Olympics (Getty Images)
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With Navarro eliminated and Coco Gauff stunned by Croatia’s Donna Vekic on Tuesday, Danielle Collins remains the only American to win a medal.
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