Australian Open: Navarro now feels she belongs on grand slam stage

Emma Navarro now believes she belongs in the latter stages of grand slams after finding a new-found confidence following her displays in last year's major tournaments.

Navarro reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Monday, beating Daria Kasatkina 6-4 5-7 7-5 to set up a tie with Iga Swiatek in the final eight in Melbourne.

She is the second player in the Open Era to make the quarter-finals in women's singles at Melbourne Park with four three-setters in the first four rounds, after Jelena Dokic in 2009.

Prior to the 2024 campaign, the American's best run at a grand slam came at Roland-Garros in 2023, when she reached the second round in Paris.

Last year, she lost to eventual winner Aryna Sabalenka at the semi-final stage of the US Open, while also managing to find her way to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon back in July.

Three set thrillers?! They're what she does! Emma Navarro gets it done at the death *again* to book a quarterfinal berth. #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/3qlOYLcge9

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2025

And speaking after her win over Kasatkina, Navarro revealed that she now feels more prepared to deal with games later in major tournaments.

"I used to look at grand slams as, I don't know, a bit more than they are, I guess, and never really felt comfortable at grand slams until probably the US Open," Navarro said.

"You know, I was kind of thinking after the match today that when I made the quarter-finals of the US Open, I felt, like, wow, this is pretty insane.

"But now, being in the quarter-finals here in Australia kind of feels like this is where I'm supposed to be, and I feel like this is what I prepared for and planned on.

"So, yeah, it's definitely different. Probably, yeah, I think I just go into grand slams with a bit more confidence than I used to."

But she faces a stern test in the next round against Swiatek, who cruised into the quarter-finals after beating lucky loser Eva Lys 6-0 6-1 earlier on Monday.

However, Navarro has shown that she has what it takes to equal her best career run at a grand slam after a string of impressive displays in Melbourne so far.

No player has converted more break points in the women's singles draw at the Australian Open this year than Navarro (30).

She could also become the youngest American player to register seven wins from her first eight matches at the Australian Open women's singles event since Venus Williams in 1998-99.