The rivalry between Emma Navarro and Qinwen Zheng is not surprising, given the events that transpired between them in Paris 2024. It all started when Navarro said something unpleasant to the Chinese player during their third-round match at the Olympics, and fans still remember it vividly. With both back in the social media spotlight, it’s time to find out who’s more popular.
Zheng is followed by 332K people on Instagram, while the American has 180k followers on the same platform. This significant difference demonstrates who has the upper hand in this discussion, indicating why many people on social media were on Team Zheng’s side.
On the financial front, Zheng’s net worth is estimated to be around $3 million, while Navarro’s net worth is significantly higher at $500 million. However, the reason behind Navarro’s whopping net worth could also be because she is the daughter of American billionaire businessman Ben Navarro.
In terms of prize money, Zheng has earned $5,230,297, while Navarro’s prize money accounts for $3,469,160, clearly showing who tops the charts here as well.
Whatever started between the two at the Paris Olympics has not been resolved, with fans bringing it up again following Zheng’s first-round victory at the China Open.
Fans mock Navarro after Zheng’s first-round win
The Chinese player recorded a video for WTA after easing past Kamilla Rakhimova in the opener. The crowd, which turned out in huge numbers, gave its loudest cheer for the home star.
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The video quickly gained a lot of traction on social media, with many fans wishing they were present in the stadium to witness it. Some even dragged Navarro into the mix to mock her.
A fan takes a dig at Emma Navarro for her comment on Qinwen Zheng! pic.twitter.com/wKSoKtDku0
— TennisWorld (@TennisWorl65157) September 29, 2024
Fans can’t stop showering love on Zheng! pic.twitter.com/m2SmrMyCzk
— TennisWorld (@TennisWorl65157) September 29, 2024
Zheng has the whole China rooting for her! pic.twitter.com/CNDNpsmc6M
— TennisWorld (@TennisWorl65157) September 29, 2024
Earlier, Navarro made some unsavory remarks following her third-round loss at the Paris Olympics to Zheng. Revealing the details of the conversation in the post-match press conference, she said:
“I just told her I didn’t respect her as a competitor. I think she goes about things in a pretty cut-throat way. It makes for a locker room that doesn’t have a lot of camaraderie, so it’s tough to face an opponent like that, who I really don’t respect.”
Zheng chose to respond gently instead, saying she would want to grow into a better person if Navarro told her why she wasn’t happy with her behavior.
“It looks like she’s not happy with my behavior towards her. If she’s not happy about my behavior, she can come and tell me. I would like to correct it to become a better player and a better person,” responded Zheng.
Navarro will next compete in the WTA 125 Hong Kong Open, while Zheng will continue her China Open commitments, facing Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska in the round of 32. This match can be seen on the Tennis Channel or streamed live on Tennis TV at 7 AM ET.