Navarro set to break Top 100 as majestic form continues
Former junior world No. 3 Emma Navarro continued her charge towards the Top 100 of the WTA Rankings after topping a podium for the second week running, this time at W60 Charlottesville in Virginia.
Navarro, who previously attended the University of Virginia, was in stunning form and lost just 14 games throughout the entire tournament as she romped to victory, defeating five fellow Americans with consummate ease.
The 21-year-old was ruthlessly efficient and showed no mercy during a one-sided final as she brushed aside Ashlyn Krueger 6-1 6-1 to lift silverware for the third time this season.
Her latest triumph followed success at W100 Charleston – the biggest title of her career so far – the previous week and W25 Naples in January, a victory which hinted at a prosperous campaign.
Success in Charlottesville is expected to see Navarro reach a major milestone of any professional career and break the Top 100 for the first time when the rankings are updated after the Madrid Open.
Back-to-back wins on clay are also valuable preparation for Roland Garros, the main draw of which gets underway on 28 May, with Navarro now firmly in contention for the USTA’s women’s wild card.
Elsewhere at W60 level, Uzbekistan’s Nigina Abduraimova claimed the biggest title of her career at W60 Oeiras following a comeback victory in a topsy-turvy final against Portugal’s Francisca Jorge. The 28-year-old prevailed 1-6 6-4 6-3.
It was Abduraimova’s first title for 12 months after she triumphed at W25 Monastir a year ago to the day, while she is the first player from Uzbekistan to win a W60 event since Sabina Sharipova in 2018.
There was also an important triumph for Romania’s Irina Maria Bara, who claimed her first title since 2017 with victory at W60 Istanbul. The wait was well worth it as it happened to be the biggest title of the 28-year-old’s career.