“I gotta give a lot of credit to my dad. He’s probably the smartest guy I know and has dropped a lot of knowledge and wisdom on my siblings and I over the years,” Emma Navarro told the Tennis Channel in 2024. And it got me thinking, sports is practically in their DNA! Did you know that Emma’s grandfather, Frank Navarro, was a famous college football coach? Though her businessman father didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps, he is still closely related to tennis. He is the owner of two major tennis tournaments, the Charleston Open and the Cincinnati Open. So imagine his happiness when his daughter won the biggest title of her career. How did they celebrate?

Emma Navarro was the top seed at the Merida Open, and she certainly played like it. The American tennis player did not drop a single set on the way to the final. She faced qualifier Emiliana Arango in the final and won the match after serving a double bagel. This is her biggest title, second title after her victory at the WTA 250 Hobart International last year. But the best part was her adorable celebration with her father.

Ben Navarro is the founder of Sherman Financial Group, which is worth $1.5 billion and which Forbes describes as a “credit card and debt collection empire.” However big his stature, on the court, he was just a dad cheering for his daughter.

After the 23-year-old tennis player lifted the trophy, her father joined her at the podium. Both the Navarro’s were true to the Mexican spirit as they donned ‘sombreros ‘, or traditional Mexican hats. The duo also did a cute victory dance along with the tunes of the crowd’s chants. The father-daughter duo was adorable, as Ben gave Emma a twirl.

Apart from winning her biggest title, the American tennis player has also accomplished a unique historic feat.

Emma Navarro sets stunning record after winning the Merida Open

Emma Navarro had a dominant run at the Merida Open. She lifted the trophy after just 55 minutes of play. With a strong serve and powerful groundstrokes, the American tennis star didn’t let Arango reach a single break point. Her ‘double bagel’ at the final not only ended Arango’s 11-match winning streak but also made Navarro only the fifth woman since 2000 to win a WTA final in this fashion.

The last WTA player to achieve this was Iga Swiatek, who took down Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-0  at the 2021 Italian Open. The exclusive list includes esteemed players like Bartoli (Quebec City, 2006), A. Radwanska (Sydney, 2013), Halep (Bucharest, 2016).

Navarro has been steadily working towards her success. However, the 2024 season was when she truly arrived on the scene. The American tennis star defeated defending champion Coco Gauff at the US Open in a stunning upset and also made it to the semifinal of the tournament. This amazing run propelled her to the World number 8 position, her highest career ranking. After her commanding win at the Merida Open, the 23-year-old tennis star will again be nestled at the 8th spot.

The new World No.8 will be looking to extend her winning streak at the Indian Wells tournament, set to commence on March 6. Last year, Navarro reached the quarterfinals of the tournament after defeating the World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka. However, she was ousted by Maria Sakarri. Do you think she can add to her growing trophy collection at the Indian Wells? Let us know in the comments below.