'U.S. tennis is so strong': Emma Navarro, Jessica Pegula win WTA titles on same day

Americans Emma Navarro and Jessica Pegula both claimed WTA titles on Sunday to further cement themselves in the WTA's Top 10. Navarro captured the WTA 500 title in Merida, Mexico, while Pegula triumphed at the 250-level event on home soil in Austin, defeating McCartney Kessler in an all-American final.

Navarro's triumph lifted her two places to world No. 8, matching her career high from last September, while Pegula solidified her position at No. 4—one spot off her career high from 2022. The trophy-winners are joined in the WTA's Top 10 by world No. 3 Coco Gauff and No. 5 Madison Keys.

"It's awesome to see American tennis doing so well. I'm ranked No. 8 and am the No. 4 American, which is crazy," said Navarro.

"There's so many great American players right now in the Top 10, Top 50, but also coming up there's a lot of good young players. I think American tennis is in really great hands and it gives me a ton of pride seeing my fellow countrywomen and countrymen doing well. It's a super exciting time for American tennis."

Navarro wins first WTA 500

Navarro claimed her second and biggest career WTA singles title with a dominant run in Merida. The 23-year-old lost just 15 games in eight sets as the event's top seed and saved her most dominant performance for the final: a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Colombian qualifier Emiliana Arango. The double-bagel scoreline was the fifth such result this century in a WTA final.

"U.S. tennis is so strong right now—men and women, it's been amazing," said Pegula.

"To see girls like McCartney who are just starting to get going on tour is always really reassuring. I feel like we're doing a good job of setting a good pathway—the girls at the top—for future stars to come in, and from all different pathways, whether it's girls that are really young or girls that went to college like McCartney. I think that's really important because we definitely all push each other, practice with each other all the time, know each other. I think we take a lot of pride in being Americans and representing. It's a fun group to be a part of."

Pegula's seventh WTA singles title was her first since last August in Toronto. She had reached three more finals since then, finishing runner-up last year at Cincinnati and the US Open and this year in Adelaide.