Navarro Defeats Krueger in Thrilling Clash at the Credit One Open
Emma Navarro edges out Ashlyn Krueger with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, advancing to the quarterfinals.
As the tour made its way from Miami’s hardcourts to the har tru of South Carolina, the Credit One Charleston Open, a prestigious WTA 500 event, brought together two of America’s top tennis stars in a fierce showdown.
At the age of twenty, Ashlyn Krueger has recently reached a career-high rank of 34, following her impressive run to the finals in Abu Dhabi earlier this season. Just two weeks prior, she stunned the tennis world by defeating then-world #8 and 2022 Wimbledon champion, Elena Rybakina, at the Miami Open.
Navarro, who once reached a career-high of #8 last fall, is currently ranked #11. The 23-year-old has won two titles and was eager to capture her first quarterfinal berth on home soil. This was their second face-off on tour, with Navarro previously defeating Krueger in straight sets at the W60 Charlottesville.
(image via https://x.com/CharlestonOpen)
As the fourth seed, Navarro won the toss and chose to serve. Despite a strong start where she landed 5/6 first serves, Krueger capitalized on a break point, taking the lead with a powerful forehand return. However, Krueger quickly faltered, opening the door for Navarro to break back and level the score.
Navarro then stepped up her game, holding serve easily as both players traded errors before Krueger regained her footing, consolidating a break to lead 4-2 with a stunning backhand down the line.
After a solid hold from Navarro, Krueger mirrored that success with a quick hold of her own. Although Navarro struggled to stay in the set, she managed to hold serve, but Krueger closed the set 6-4 with a strong showing, despite a couple of double faults.
In the second set, the momentum shifted as Krueger maintained her aggressive play, breaking Navarro early. However, Navarro refused to back down, rallying back after some shaky service games, eventually forcing Krueger into errors, including more than one double fault.
The tension mounted as both players battled fiercely, exchanging breaks until Navarro finally regained control, breaking Krueger to seal the set 6-4 and push the match to a decisive third set.
In the final set, both players faced their struggles with serving. Navarro opened strong with an ace and quickly took the lead. Krueger’s double faults added to her troubles, allowing Navarro to build a substantial advantage.
However, Krueger refused to give in easily; she fought hard, capitalizing on Navarro’s errors to cling on until the very end, yet Navarro prevailed with a string of consistent play and powerful returns, winning the match.
Reflecting on her performance, Navarro stated, “I had some ups and downs with my serve, but I think the way I returned helped me stay calm. Overall, I’m really pleased with my performance today.”
Next, Navarro faces yet another American in the quarterfinals—Amanda Anisimova, a WTA 1000 champion from Doha earlier this year. The twenty-three-year-old from New Jersey holds a career-high rank of #16 and has a 2-0 head-to-head lead against Navarro, making for an exciting encounter ahead.
