Billionaire tennis star Emma Navarro was knocked out of the Italian Open after Paula Badosa made a spectacular comeback to reach the third round. Badosa won 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to set up a third-round clash with Diana Shnaider after already brushing aside Russian 17-year-old wonderkid Mirra Andreeva.
Navarro, whose billionaire father Ben owns two tournaments including the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, made a very strong start against the former world No. 2 who is continuing on her comeback from injury.
After losing the first set 6-1, Badosa battled hard to take the next two as she claimed back-to-back clay court wins for the first time in a year, savouring the moment as she spent time after the match with fans and handed out souvenirs.
Badosa's win over the 21st seed was her first victory over a top-25 player in 2024, though the comeback will come as a disappointment for Navarro after also losing in the second round of the Madrid Open last month, in preparation for the upcoming French Open.
Navarro, 22, has earned close to £1million across her young tennis career after turning professional in 2022, but that figure pales in comparison to what she and her three siblings may inherit one day from her father.
Ben Navarro, who has a reported net worth of £1.2billion, is the founder and CEO of Sherman Financial Group, which owns Credit One Bank. He bought Charleston Tennis LLC through his Beemok Sports company in 2018 and funded major renovations as a gift to the city. He also owns the Cincinnati Open and WTA 500 event Credit One Open in Charleston.
Navarro's conqueror Badosa is enjoying life back on the court again, having admitted that she needs to take cortisone injections to prolong her playing career at 26. However, she recently went through a public break-up with fellow tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The pair announced their amicable split after nearly a year together in a joint statement, as Badosa later admitted that it was not the right time for them to be together.
"When we were great, the relationship was great. Other times, we have our own careers, our own things, and sometimes it's better to separate ways," she reflected. "This reminds me a lot of the story of Maria Sharapova and Grigor Dimitrov, where you meet the right person but maybe in the wrong moment. It's a little bit like this."
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