"Emma Navarro really wants Zheng Qinwen to make it to WTA Finals"; "Cutthroat besties" - Fans troll American's 'consistency' after Wuhan Open 2R loss

Emma Navarro's defeat to Magdalena Frech in the Wuhan Open allowed Zheng Qinwen to surpass her in the WTA Race to Riyadh. Fans reacted to Navarro's loss with some referencing her rift with Zheng and jokingly suggesting that the American was aiding the Chinese player's progress.

Navarro's form has dipped lately, and she currently holds a 2-3 record in Asia following her impressive US Open semifinal run. She lost her campaign opener in Beijing, exited in the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong 125 Open, and most recently, on October 9, lost her opener in the Wuhan Open 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 against Frech.

Meanwhile, Zheng reached the semifinal in Beijing and won her second-round match against Jaqueline Cristian in Wuhan to take the lead in the live rankings of the WTA Race to Riyadh.

Fans on X (formerly Twitter) joked that Emma Navarro was helping Zheng Qinwen to qualify for the WTA Finals.

One fan referenced Navarro's remark about the Chinese during the Paris Olympics. The American claimed she did not respect Zheng, and that she was "cut-throat."

"Navarro really wants Zheng to make it to the WTA Finals, cutthroat besties ❤️" one fan wrote.

"Navarro is sending Qinwen into wta finals," another fan wrote.

One fan mentioned Emma Raducanu along with Navarro and claimed both are "overhyped." They wrote:

"The question is: Who of the both Emmas is worse? Navarro or Raducanu? Both are totally overhyped."

Here are more fan reactions to Emma Navarro's Wuhan Open second-round exit.

"Navarro's consistency is quite questionable, she's not showed this year honestly," one fan wrote.

"This is Emma's 77th match of the year. Maybe she really needs a breather. But then again, she also thrives playing so many matches. So who knows," another fan wrote.

"Entering 125s not helping anymore 🤣" yet another fan wrote.

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Emma Navarro and Zheng Qinwen competing for final automatic qualification spot in WTA Race to Riyadh

Zheng Qinwen at the 2024 Wuhan Open (Image: Getty)

Before the Wuhan Open, Zheng Qinwen held the eighth spot in the WTA Race to Riyadh with 3,460 points, while Emma Navarro ranked seventh with 3,568 points, occupying the last automatic qualifying spot.

Zheng's victory over Jaqueline Cristian in Wuhan earned her 120 points, pushing her past Navarro in the rankings. With 1,000 points on offer for the winner of the Wuhan Open, Zheng has the chance to extend her lead further.

Meanwhile, Navarro will aim to regain momentum by participating in upcoming WTA 250 and WTA 500 events in Asia, hoping to boost her points tally.

As of now, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka have qualified for the year-end championships with Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, and Jessica Pegula on track to qualify as well.

The eighth spot could go to Barbora Krejcikova if she finishes between No. 8 and No. 20 in the Race to Riyadh due to her Wimbledon title.