Emma Navarro Hits ‘Begging’ Jannik Sinner With Cheeky Jab Over Surprise US Open Team-Up

Mixed doubles has always brought its own kind of magic to tennis, a blend of fun, flair, and fierce competition. Since its Grand Slam debut in 1892 at the US National Championships, the format has evolved into a fan favorite, and now, at the 52nd edition of the US Open, it’s turning heads again. Top stars are pairing up, but one unexpected duo is stealing the spotlight: Jannik Sinner and Emma Navarro. Was this power pairing pre-planned? Not exactly, as in a recent light-hearted reveal, Navarro shared the fun twist behind the team-up! 

As Day 2 of singles action wrapped at Wimbledon, Emma Navarro made a bold statement, powering past 2-time champion Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-1. The straight-sets win marked the end of Kvitova’s legendary Wimbledon journey, as the 35-year-old wild card bowed out in her 16th appearance, with retirement looming post-US Open. Despite leading 3-1 in the opening set, the Czech veteran lost 11 of the next 12 games, as Navarro, last year’s quarterfinalist, tightened her grip and sealed the match with commanding precision.But that wasn’t the end of the entertainment as Navarro later took out some time to poke fun at her US Open doubles partner, and world no. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Moments after her commanding win at Wimbledon, Emma Navarro lit up the Tennis Channel broadcast with charm and sharp wit. Responding to Sinner’s comments about their unexpected US Open mixed doubles pairing, a surprise to him, despite never having spoken to Navarro before, Navarro reacted with amusement. “You know, he was begging me to play. He was saying, you know, I heard about your volleys and your double skills. Please, please, will you play with me? I said, yeah, sure. I guess I’ll play with you. You know, you’re not not the best player, but you know, I’ll make an exception and try to get a better partner next year. So, yeah.” The laughter was as loud as her forehand in the studio.

Later, Emma Navarro peeled back the sarcasm and revealed her genuine excitement about playing alongside the current world No. 1. “No, I’m excited. I think it’s going to be fun. You know, I got to hold up my end of the bargain on my half and yeah, I think it’ll be really fun. So, I’m excited,” she said, beaming with anticipation. 

When asked about her upcoming mixed doubles pairing with the world No. 1, Emma Navarro didn’t hold back her signature humor. “Not too shabby. In all seriousness. I’m going to have a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations to live up to there,” she said with a grin. “I know he’s going to be hitting clean forehands, backhands, left and right, and aces all over the court. So it will be great.” Her excitement was genuine, but so was her awareness of the spotlight that comes with partnering Jannik Sinner on the Grand Slam stage.

So, how did this unlikely duo come together? Jannik Sinner himself pulled back the curtain during his pre-Wimbledon press conference. With a smirk, he admitted, “It was very unexpected, to be honest.” The Italian star revealed that he and Navarro had never spoken before; they hadn’t even met until the Friday before Wimbledon began. “Look, I just met her yesterday for the first time. We never talked. We never texted to each other. It’s actually a funny story. The tournament, they wanted us to kind of play together because certain teams were already set up. The choice was not big, but I’m very happy to play with Emma.”

And in classic Sinner fashion, he added a humble jab at his own doubles skills. “I told her already to (not) get pissed with me with my very good volleys. Doubles, I struggle,” he admitted, drawing laughs and raising expectations that Navarro may need to take the reins during their matches.

That might not be a bad thing. Navarro has a double pedigree. In 2024, she partnered with Ben Shelton to win the Eisenhower Cup, a Tie Break Tens event in Indian Wells that pairs top men and women to support charitable causes. Her sharp net play and strategic poise make her more than capable of holding her own on the big stage.

With Wimbledon just getting underway and the mixed doubles entry deadline for the US Open set for July 28, there’s still time before the duo takes center stage. But one thing’s clear, Emma Navarro’s game is growing, and she knows she’s ready. And for live, minute-by-minute coverage of the Championships, head to EssentiallySports’ Live Blog.

Emma Navarro opens up after her first-round win at SW19

Last year, Emma Navarro stunned the tennis world by defeating Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff en route to her first GS quarterfinal. Though her run ended at the hands of Italy’s Jessica Pegula in straight sets, Navarro’s name was officially in the mix. She arrived at Wimbledon 2025 riding strong form, with 2 quarterfinal appearances at both Bad Homburg and the HSBC Championships, and a respectable R16 finish in Berlin.

But her first-round win at SW19 this year felt different, sharper, deeper, and more personal. “Some unique emotions today, but I was proud of how I was able to sort of work through that and play some good tennis at times,” Navarro shared. “I thought I returned well towards the end and served pretty good as well. So I’m happy with today.”

She also bid a graceful goodbye to 35-year-old Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, describing her as “inspiring” in a heartfelt post-match reflection. A legend stepped off the grass, while a new American contender stepped forward.

With Coco Gauff and Pegula both out early, Emma Navarro now stands as one of the top-ranked Americans left in the draw with Madison Keys.

On Thursday, she faces Veronika Kudermetova, with hopes high and pressure higher!