Meet Wimbledon’s rising tennis star, Emma Navarro, who hails from a billionaire family: the 23-year-old just beat Naomi Osaka, is ranked 19th in the world – and dad Ben is a former VP of Citigroup
Not all billionaire heiresses go on to become one of the world’s top tennis players – but Emma Navarro clearly has a level of grit and determination few others born in her position could channel.
Ranked No 19 in the world, the 23-year-old smashed Naomi Osaka at a Wimbledon match on July 3 – and she’s yet to lose a set yet in the tournament, according to US media.
“That’s an atmosphere that could easily overwhelm me, or overwhelm any player, and I spent just a good amount of time preparing myself mentally for the emotions and the nerves I was going to feel. Then once I got out there, I just felt really at home,” the young athlete told reporters after the match. Next up at Wimbledon, she’ll play against Russian-born Diana Shnaider.
Here’s what you need to know about the next big tennis star to watch – and her intriguing background:
Where is Emma Navarro from?
According to US media, Navarro was born in New York City in 2001, then went on to attend Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina. Per WTA Tennis, she was a fourth-ranked American in the sport.
Who are Emma Navarro’s parents?
Emma Navarro hails from an ultra-wealthy family. Per Forbes, her father Ben Navarro is the founder of Sherman Financial Group, the company behind Credit One, which has distributed 18 million credit cards to date.
Ben is also the former vice-president of Citigroup with a net worth of US$1.5 billion by Forbes estimate, though some media outlets put his fortune at an even greater number. “As a fan, father, and business owner, tennis has brought so much to our family,” he told The Post and Courier in 2019. “Junior tennis has provided a place for our children to learn a work ethic, develop friendship through shared struggle, and learn to handle disappointment, defeat, and sometimes even unfairness.”
How did Emma Navarro get into tennis?
US media notes that Navarro rose to international fame when she won the junior French Open doubles title with Chloe Beck and finished as the singles tournament’s runner-up.
She enjoys lavish family holidays
Away from tennis, Navarro appreciates her downtime, often with family. As seen on her Instagram, she’s done everything from sandboarding on desert dunes to lush boat trips in Greece.
Per her interview with Charleston Day School, tennis has also taken her on adventures across the globe, visiting countries including France, Italy, the UK, Canada, Belgium and Australia. “Travelling is always an adventure, especially to non-English-speaking countries,” she told the institution. “The best thing about travelling is meeting people from other cultures and being able to connect with them despite how different you are from one another.”
Is Emma Navarro dating anyone?
So far Navarro has managed to keep her private life out of the headlines, and hasn’t hinted at dating anyone. According to one source, Sports Unfold, she’s currently single.
- Ranked No 19 in the world, the 23-year-old smashed Naomi Osaka at a Wimbledon match on Wednesday afternoon – in fact she’s yet to lose a set in the tournament
- Navarro hails from an ultra-wealthy family thanks to her father Ben Navarro, who is the founder of the Sherman Financial Group and a former Citigroup exec