“I put the two bottles down at my feet, in front of my chair to my left, one neatly behind the other, diagonally aimed at the court. Some call it superstition, but it’s not,” Rafael Nadal wrote in his autobiography – Rafa: My story. The 14-time Roland Garros champion was famously known for his on-court quirks going into a match. Remember how he used to place his energy drink in front of his water bottle? Not to forget the precision with which he used to ensure the labels on the bottles perfectly faced the court. And then he would take a sip from two of them, while changing ends, keeping them aligned to his area of play on the court. Turns out, the 22-time Major winner isn’t the only one to follow this ritual. A rising American WTA star seems to have emulated him. Enter Emma Navarro!
On Monday, the official account of the BNP Paribas Open shared a unique clip on Instagram. As it turned out, 24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic came up with a hilarious initiative where some of the best tennis pros were seen giving ‘masterclass’ tips to 5 lucky fans. The clip featured Coco Gauff, who taught the viewers how to take perfect selfies when surrounded by fans. Then there was Alexander Bublik, who showed how to smash a racket the right way on the court. You see where it’s going?
It was all part of several scripted yet fun sessions. But the most engaging session was Emma Navarro’s. In her session, she was seen telling the fans how to align water bottles the right way. “This is great. That’s not OK. This? Horrible. Pull out of the tournament.” Then comes a tip from her, talking to the camera, saying, “Yeah, there’s so many things to learn in the game of tennis and really perfect, and I think if you can get this down, it could really take you to the next level.”
Cut to the session, and she’s again telling the five fans how to keep the bottles aligned perfectly. “The distance as well, apart from water bottles, is very important. I need you guys to go through every water bottle. Make sure it’s about four inches.”
The culmination came with Navarro sharing another tip, emphasizing on ‘precision’. “It’s a numbers game and it involves geometry, algebra. There’s so much precision and, you know, things you have to perfect. It’s going to be a while for them to really get a handle on it.”
It was simply hilarious watching the WTA pro putting on a serious face while delivering those lines. But guess what? Navarro is also delivering a fine performance on the court lately. The 2025 season is turning out amazing for her. Let’s dive deep.
Emma Navarro shines in 2025 thanks to the Merida Open triumph
After she was ousted in the QF stage of the Australian Open and followed it with early exits at the Qatar Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships, question marks were raised about Emma Navarro’s form. But then came the moment of turnaround at the Merida Open in late February.
Navarro went on to clinch her first-ever WTA 500 title in Merida, beating the Colombian qualifier Emiliana Arango in a one-sided battle. The World No.8 thrashed Arango, handing her a double bagel, and lifted the trophy with a score line of 6-0, 6-0. she became the first player to accomplish this feat in a WTA final since Iga Swiatek beat Karolina Pliskova with a similar scoreline in 2021’s Rome Open final. And you know what? Navarro didn’t drop a single set throughout her winning campaign.
The 23-year-old then entered the next big event at the BNP Paribas Open last week. And it seemed she was enjoying her stay in California very much. Until the third round match against Donna Vekic. The American, unfortunately, went down against the Croatian, who ended her hopes to win a second straight WTA title this season, beating her with a score line of 7-6(1), 6-1.
While she may have lost in Indian Wells, Navarro’s avid fans will hope for another Merida-esque comeback from the American. What are your thoughts on Navarro’s prospects going forward in 2o25? Let us know in the comments below.
The post “It’s a Numbers Game” – Emma Navarro Channels Rafael Nadal’s Perfectionism in a Hilarious Novak Djokovic Masterclass appeared first on EssentiallySports.