NEW YORK — Emma Navarro clinched her spot in her first Grand Slam semifinal by triumphing over Paula Badosa with a score of 6-2, 7-5 at the U.S. Open on Tuesday.
Navarro, the No. 13 seed, has made an impressive journey, as this is her first time advancing past the opening rounds of her home major. She is set to face either No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka or seventh-seeded Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals on Thursday.
In a remarkable performance, Navarro eliminated defending champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round and dominated the first set in just 29 minutes. However, Badosa, seeded No. 26, surged to a 5-1 lead in the second set before Navarro turned the tide by winning six consecutive games.
As Navarro celebrated her victory, two other American players were aiming for semifinal berths on Tuesday. No. 12 seed Taylor Fritz faced No. 4 Alexander Zverev, the 2020 U.S. Open runner-up, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, while No. 20 Frances Tiafoe took on No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov later in the evening.
