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Team USA hosted a welcome dinner for Team Belgium ahead of their 2024 Billie Jean King Cup tie and USA's Emma Navarro welcomed the Belgians with a surprise rap.
The 2024 Billie Jean King Cup kicked off this week across the globe. USA, seeded No. 8, will take on No. 13 seed Belgium in their tie at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida. Ahead of their match on April 12, both teams attended the welcome dinner and Emma Navarro took everyone by surprise with her rapping skills, which she flaunted during the press interaction.
Navarro's "rookie rap" welcomed Belgium to the USA and drew applause from players from both countries standing behind her. Hilariously after her rap, Caroline Dolehide and Taylor Townsend even performed a cartwheel.
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You can watch Emma Navarro's rap below:
Emma Navarro is making her debut at BJKC and will face 19-year-old Hanne Vandewinkel of Belgium on April 12. Jessica Pegula will take on World No. 279 Sofia Costoulas in the other singles tie. Belgium is missing its top three players (Elise Mertens, Greet Minnen and Yanina Wickmayer) for this tie.
As for doubles, Taylor Townsend and Madison Keys will face Marie Benoit and Kimberley Zimmerman on April 13. The USA, an 18-time Billie Jean King Cup champion, has a 5-2 head-to-head record over Belgium, who last won against the Americans in 2011.
Emma Navarro to make Billie Jean King Cup debut after rising to highest-ever ranking
Emma Navarro will compete in the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time in her career on the back of a successful 2024 campaign so far. The 22-year-old was a regular on the ITF and Challenger circuit last year and rose more than 100 places on the WTA Ranking.
The former NCAA champion began the year at World No. 31 and reached the semifinals of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. She then won her maiden tour-level title at Hobart International. Navarro was the No. 2 seed at the WTA 250 and defeated Clara Burel, Magdalena Frech, Viktoriya Tomova, Yue Yuan and Elise Mertens on the way to the title.
This helped the American earn her first seeding at a Grand Slam. Navarro was the No. 27 seed at the Australian Open and bested Wang Xiyu and Elisabetta Cocciaretto before losing to eventual semifinalist Dayana Yastremska.
Her next big performance came at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, where she defeated Lesia Tsurenko, Elina Svitolina and World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka (the biggest win of her career). Navarro's run was ended by Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals. These performances have helped the American rise up to the World No. 21 spot and earn a call to the BJKC.
