USA's Emma Navarro goes off on Chinese tennis star she lost to at Paris Olympics: 'I didn't respect her'

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Emma Navarro, one of several women’s tennis players representing the United States in the 2024 Paris Olympics, was knocked out of women’s singles in the third round by China’s Qinwen Zheng in three sets.

But it’s what happened after the match that created buzz at Roland Garros on Tuesday. 

Navarro and Zheng reportedly had a confrontation at the net once the latter got her match point to win, 6-7, 7-6, 6-1. 

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Emma Navarro of Team United States plays a backhand against Julia Grabher of Team Austria during the Women’s Singles first round match on day two of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Roland Garros on July 28, 2024 in Paris, France. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The confrontation was top of mind as reporters began asking Navarro questions post-match, and she certainly didn’t hold back how she felt with Zheng, the No. 7-ranked women’s tennis player at the Olympics this year. 

"I just told her I didn’t respect her as a competitor," Navarro said, via the New York Post. "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."

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The heat of competition is one of many reasons the Olympics is so much fun to watch no matter the sport, and Zheng clearly takes it seriously but not to the liking of Navarro. 

While Navarro didn’t elaborate on what makes Zheng cut-throat, the Chinese star revealed what the American said on the net, while taking the high road. 

Emma Navarro of Team United States plays a forehand against Viktoriya Tomova of Team Bulgaria during the Women's Singles second round match on day three of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Roland Garros on July 29, 2024 in Paris, France. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

"She told me she doesn’t know how I have a lot of fans," Zheng explained. "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."

Zheng, 21, said she was glad Navarro, 23, told her that at the net. However, she threw a little jab in her answer as well. 

"I will not consider it an attack because she lost the match," Zheng said. 

Zheng will move on to the quarterfinals in women’s singles to face Germany’s Angelique Kerber. 

American tennis star Emma Navarro had some fighting words after losing to Qinwen Zheng in the Olympics (Getty Images)

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With Navarro knocked out of the event, Danielle Collins remains the only American left to medal after Coco Gauff was shockingly beat by Croatia’s Donna Vekic on Tuesday. 

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