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Aryna Sabalenka's shock defeat to Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the 2024 Indian Wells Open elicited strong reactions from tennis fans.
Navarro pulled off a stunning upset 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 upset over Sabalenka to advance to the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time. Navarro delivered a strong performance against the World No. 2, recording 13 unforced errors to the Belarusian's 34.
The triumph marked several significant milestones for the American. She recorded her second top-10 win and her first over a top-five opponent. It was also her 18th win of the season, surpassing Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina for wins in 2024.
Fans were highly impressed with Emma Navarro's performance against Aryna Sabalenka. One fan humorously remarked that the 22-year-old has replaced Jessica Pegula as their new favorite player, who is also the daughter of a billionaire.
Jessica Pegula's father, Terry, is reported to have a net worth of $6.8 billion, derived from his oil and gas fortune as well as ownership of his Buffalo-based NHL and NFL teams.
Meanwhile, Emma Navarro's father, Ben, reportedly boasts a $3 million net worth as the founder and CEO of the Sherman Financial Group, which owns Credit One Bank.
"Move over Pegula! Emma Navarro is my new favorite player that’s the daughter of a billionaire," the fan posted.
Fans continued to share their admiration for Navarro, with one deeming her the second-best American player, presumably behind Coco Gauff.
"Navarro is officially the second best American in my eyes. This isn’t a fluke anymore, she’s incredibly poised, doesn’t miss, takes it early, does every basic you want a tennis player to do. Amazing win," the fan commented.
Meanwhile, other fans pointed out how Aryna Sabalenka's shock defeat paved the way for Iga Swiatek and Gauff to achieve success at the WTA 1000 event.
"Iga now has a big chance to really pull away from the rest in the ranking, considering she's one match away from defending the points from last years tournament and that she has no points to defend in Miami," a fan wrote.
"That one was ... Surprising. Another big chance for Gauff to claim a big title, or at least reach the final in Indian Wells," another fan shared.
Here are a few more reactions from fans on Reddit:
Emma Navarro after beating Aryna Sabalenka in Indian Wells 4R: "I've worked really hard to play at a level that can compete with the best players in the world"
Emma Navarro expressed satisfaction with her performance after stunning Aryna Sabalenka, emphasizing the hard work she has put in to reach a level where she can go toe-to-toe with the best in the world.
The American also expressed her excitement for her upcoming quarterfinal clash at Indian Wells.
"I've worked really hard over the years to kind of just get to this point and be able to play at a level that can compete with the best players in the world," Navarro said in her post-match interview.
"I think that showed today. I'm just excited to get the win. Ready for the next one," she added.
Following her triumph over Sabalenka, Navarro will take on the winner of the match between Maria Sakkari and Diane Parry for a place in the semifinals.
