A Difficult Season Defined by Hidden Struggles
Emma Navarro has confirmed her 2026 season is over, sharing a candid and deeply personal account of the health challenges that have shaped her year. The 25-year-old American, currently ranked 24th in the world, revealed she was diagnosed toward the end of 2025 with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), a condition where the body lacks sufficient fuel to meet the demands of both athletic activity and everyday life. That diagnosis was further complicated by Hashimoto's hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. Together, these conditions contributed to losing nine of her first 13 matches this season and a withdrawal from the Charleston Open in late March.
Navarro traced the root of her problems all the way back to 2023, her first full year on tour, during which she played 88 matches, more than any other professional player that year. Despite climbing from around 150th in the rankings to nearly 30th, she was quietly suffering. She lost approximately 14 kilograms over 2023 and 2024 and described feeling constant hunger, irritability, brain fog, dizziness, and an uncharacteristic internal anger, most notably during her breakthrough title run at the Hobart International in Australia.
A Path to Recovery and a Look Ahead
Navarro's 2026 campaign did include genuine highlights. She claimed her third WTA Tour title at the clay-court Strasbourg Open in May, reached the final of the grass-court event in Nottingham in June, and made the quarterfinals of the US Open, where she fell to Jessica Pegula. She finishes with a 25-20 win-loss record.
Skipping the Asian swing to prioritize her recovery, Navarro says she has regained her sense of self and is focused on returning fully healthy for 2027. TennisDraw users will be watching her bracket potential closely when the new season begins.
