Key Takeaways
- Emma Navarro revealed she was diagnosed with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism after three years of under-fueling and worsening symptoms.
- The 24-year-old explained that “I also gained my life back” after adjusting her nutrition, blood sugar tracking, and medication under medical supervision.
- Navarro has withdrawn from the rest of 2026, including events in Asia, to finalize her health protocols ahead of the 2027 Australian Open.
A hidden struggle behind rapid rise on tour
American tennis star Emma Navarro has revealed that she spent the past three years navigating a severe and draining medical battle, ultimately receiving diagnoses of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism in the fall of 2025. Sharing her journey through a 14-slide Instagram post, the world No. 24 explained how chronic under-fueling severely affected her physical and mental health while she was ascending into the upper tier of the sport.
Her health concerns began taking root in 2023 during her first full campaign on the professional circuit. That season, the Charleston native climbed from No. 150 to near the top 30 after contesting 88 matches, noting that “I was doing what my team and I thought was best.” The heavy schedule propelled her upward, but it masked an escalating internal crisis.
“From the outside, things looks great,” Navarro explained. Yet, behind the scenes, she recognized that “something was off. Or at least something was different.”
Physical toll and mounting symptoms
Navarro continued to push through the grueling calendar in 2024, winning Hobart, reaching the quarterfinals at Indian Wells and Wimbledon, advancing to the fourth round at Roland Garros, and making a run to the U.S. Open semifinals that lifted her to a career-high world No. 8. However, her body was struggling to cope. She experienced severe weight loss, shedding roughly 20 pounds in 2023 and another 10 pounds across 2024.
Emotional strain and cognitive issues quickly followed the physical exhaustion. “Everything began to annoy me,” Navarro wrote. “My team, other people, anything that didn’t align with my specific preferences or routines. Any imperfection on the court. Every mistake. Every point I lost. But I tried my hardest to not let people see how I felt. To keep it together.”
Her immune function deteriorated, resulting in frequent bouts of illness, headaches, brain fog, and severe sleep disruption. “I had to be so careful about expending energy because I couldn’t afford to waste any,” Navarro stated. “I had night after night of restless sleep, waking up just as tired as before. My skin began to show signs of weakness, developing rashes on my neck and scalp.”
The breaking point and diagnosis
During the Asian swing in 2024, Navarro found herself too “weak and exhausted” to warm up effectively. By the 2025 Australian Open, she was “in tears” while in the gym, feeling “so confused about why I couldn’t play.” Relying on what she described as “pure grit and will”, she still reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne, but it represented “the last bit of myself I had.”
Her match win rate fell sharply from 72 percent in 2023 to 56 percent in 2025. Following early exits at major tournaments later that year, Navarro sought answers from specialists and nutritionists, discovering that her body had been under-fueled for nearly three years. As she noted, her body was “screaming at me for years, and I ignored it.”
Recovery and taking time away ahead of 2027
Over the past year, Navarro rebuilt her regimen by changing her diet, boosting energy intake, monitoring blood sugar, and working with specialists to dial in her medication. The adjustments translated into renewed vitality and on-court success in 2026, including a WTA 500 title in Strasbourg, a final in Nottingham, and a run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals, where she fell to Jessica Pegula in three sets.
To fully prioritize her long-term well-being, Navarro has elected to withdraw from the remainder of the 2026 season, including tournaments in Asia, before targeting a return in Australia in 2027.
“So yeah, I gained some weight this year. But I also gained my life back. I have enough energy to seize every day,” Navarro reflected. “To train or compete as hard as I want to. And to live a life outside of tennis. To laugh. To be curious. To be spontaneous. To spend time with the people I care about. To feel joy. Hope and positivity. And to appreciate the incredible gift of life.”
Navarro added: “I have learned that there is no weight on the scale or leanness in your limbs that is more valuable than your health or well-being.”
Emma Navarro in 2026
Now the world no.24, the American played her last match on the 8th of September when she was overcome by world no.3 Jessica Pegula 3-6 6-4 6-3 in the quarter of the U.S. Open (draw).
This year Emma owns a compiled 25-20 match record. Navarro has won 1 title in Strasbourg.
