Two budding youngsters face off in the 2024 Australian Open first round as Emma Navarro takes on Wang Xiyu. The former is a seeded player for the first time in a Grand Slam and will look to make it count.
Navarro and Wang have never played against each other in their senior career. They met once as juniors, in the 2018 US Open girls’ singles. Wang defeated the local wildcard entrant in the first round en route to lifting the title. However, this game is long in the history books and will likely have no impact on their upcoming clash.
Both players, 22, started off their 2024 season with the ASB Classic in Auckland, reaching the semi-finals. Navarro kept up her good touch and lifted her first WTA tour title at the 2024 Hobart International. With this, she achieved a career-best ranking of World No.26. Wang, meanwhile, is ranked World No.60 and pulled out of the tournament in Hobart.
Navarro will be brimming with confidence from her recent title. Wang, on the other hand, looked scratchy even during her semi-final run in Auckland as all her matches went into three sets. However, it won’t be a cakewalk for the American since the Chinese athlete makes for a tricky left-handed opponent. The SportsRush predicts Emma Navarro to win in three sets.
Wang and Navarro square off on Tuesday, January 16, not before 1:00 p.m. local time (9:00 p.m. on Monday, January 15, ET). ESPN and Tennis Channel will stream the match in the USA. The conditions are projected to be sunny and windy, with temperatures around 27°C.
Emma Navarro and Wang Xiyu recent form ahead of the 2024 Australian Open
Emma Navarro had a breakthrough in 2023, finishing the year as World No.38, rising over 100 places from her 2022-end rank of World No.143. She made it to the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the 2023 French Open. The American youngster, daughter of billionaire businessman Benjamin Navarro, reached a WTA tournament’s semi-final for the first time last season at the Bad Homburg Open. She stepped up and soon made it a WTA 500 semi-final at the 2023 San Diego Open.
Navarro comes into the 2024 Australian Open with a great W/L of 8-1 for the year. She lost the ASB Classic semi-final to eventual champion Coco Gauff, following it up with her maiden WTA title in Hobart.
Wang Xiyu bagged her first WTA title last year, winning the 2023 Guangzhou Open on home ground. She also ascended sharply in the rankings, concluding the year as World No.50, a significant improvement from No.128 in 2022. However, she hit a rough patch after her title victory, with multiple first-round exits.
Wang has a 3-1 record in 2024 so far, losing the ASB Classic semi-final to Elina Svitolina.
With great form and momentum behind her, Navarro is the favourite to advance into the second round. She could potentially run into Victoria Azarenka or Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round.
