Emma Navarro has had quite the year in tennis so far, and that isn't to imply everything has been good. She missed two months of the season with an injury, including her home tournament at the Charleston Open. Yet, she has also managed to win a title and get into the final of another tournament.
She entered the Bad Homburg Open this week after reaching the final on the grass-court Nottingham Open last week. To try to get to another final, though, she needed to go through top-seed Iga Swiatek in Wednesday's second-round match. Swiatek has greatly improved on grass courts, proven by her winning Wimbledon last year.
The two players had only faced each other three times before, and one of those was in the Charleston Open in 2018. Last year, they met twice. While Swiatek led the head-to-head 2-1, Navarro has won the last meeting. In other words, the Bad Homburg Open match appeared to be likely to be difficult for each player.
Emma Navarro defeats Iga Swiatek at the 2026 Bad Homburg Open
In the opening set, Navarro jumped out to a lead, but both battled to hold serve. Swiatek was broken in the opening game, Navarro in the fifth game, Swiatek in the sixth, and then Navarro again in the seventh. Just when the set seemed headed toward a tie-break, the American broke the Pole again to allow Navarro to take the set 7-5.
The second set was far more straightforward for Swiatek. Her wicked forehand was crushing Navarro's attempts to take games, and the Pole was able to even the match by taking set two 6-2. As the more accomplished player overall, she seemed to have forever changed the narrative of the match and surely would take the third set, too.
That wouldn't be the case, however. Swiatek was broken in the second game, and pushed Navarro to get the break back in the next game, but after an extraordinarily long game, Navarro was able to hold. She was helped by the top-seed not being able to serve well. The Pole had one ace, but nine double faults. As well as her forehand was working, her serve was letting her down.
At 5-3, Navarro would only give up one point on her serve, and didn't show any nerves in finishing off Iga Swiatek 6-3 in set three.
Emma Navarro will next play Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Bad Homburg Open. The American is trending in the best direction ahead of the start of Wimbledon next week.
Add us as a preferred source on Google