Emma Navarro, the former world No. 8 and rising American tennis star, has announced that she will not participate in any further events on the 2026 WTA Tour as she focuses on recovering from two serious health conditions. In a candid revelation shared on Instagram, Navarro disclosed her battle with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, illnesses she had managed privately for the past three years.
Despite reaching a career milestone by advancing to the semifinals of the 2024 US Open and fighting through symptoms to make the quarterfinals at the 2026 US Open, Navarro admitted that her physical state deteriorated throughout this period. It was only after the 2026 US Open that she decided to halt her season in order to prioritize her health.
The Toll of the WTA Tour on Navarro’s Health
At just 25 years old, Navarro revealed that neither condition was diagnosed during her rise up the rankings. She described how her body had been signaling distress for years, but she chose to persevere through the pain and fatigue. Between 2023 and 2024, she experienced a significant weight loss of nearly 30 pounds amid persistent fatigue, dizziness, and headaches.
As Navarro continued to compete under these challenging circumstances, her performance and rankings declined, drawing criticism from observers questioning her abilities. She explained that she had given everything she could on the court before finally seeking medical help and stepping away from competition.
In her own words, Navarro acknowledged the severity of her struggle: “My body had been screaming at me for years, and I ignored it.”