Pegula & Navarro: Built, Not Born
There are those who think athletic achievements are simply the result of natural talent, skills genetically conferred as obviously as eye color or foot size. The rest of us believe in work. This is why the US Open runs of Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro were so inspiring.
The 30-year-old Pegula has long been tennis’ classic late bloomer. Even once she reached the Top 10 two years ago, Pegula continued to struggle like Sisyphus, going 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals before at last breaking through in New York this year. Highlighting Pegula’s run to the finals were cucumber-cool like wins over Swiatek in the quarters and—after rallying from a big deficit—Karolina Muchova in the semis.
“My movement and my serve has gotten a little bit better,” Pegula said following the US Open final. “So I think there are certain parts that maybe are a little bit more consistent than they used to be.”
For the 23-year-old Navarro, the path to a first Slam semi was far swifter. Still, her ascent is hardly random, but instead the result of a long-term skill-building program she’s created with coach for nearly a decade, Peter Ayers.
In a brilliant interview conducted by veteran journalist Christopher Clarey, Ayers said,
“We’ve had to redefine what a mistake is. To some it means hitting the net, hitting the ball wide or hitting the ball long, and that maybe held too much sway over her. I would say sometimes that ball you’re hitting right in the middle of the court, that’s a worse mistake than the one that misses a little bit long. You’re losing the point either way, but you’re allowing the player to step up in the court, crack a winner, pump their fist and feel good about themselves.
“Whereas when you go after the shot and you miss it six inches long, you lose the point. But you don’t allow for all that other stuff to happen and what effect that has on them that was lost.”
Be it in tennis or any other endeavor, Pegula and Navarro give hope to all.
