Emma Navarro to miss the rest of 2026 tennis season for treatment, plans return at Australian Open

Emma Navarro, of the United States, hits a return to... — Emma Navarro, of the United States, hits a return to Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger

By The Associated PressOctober 1, 2026 1:09 am

NEW YORK — Emma Navarro says she’s taking the rest of the tennis season off to address two health issues and plans to return ahead of the Australian Open in January.

Navarro, who lost in the U.S. Open quarterfinals to Pegula last month, said in a social media post Wednesday that she'd been diagnosed with RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) and Hasshimoto’s hypothyroidism.

RED-S is a condition that causes the body to receive insufficient energy for heavy physical activities. Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland, causing slower metabolism.

“I have learned that there is no weight on the scale or leanness in your limbs that is more valuable than your health or your well-being,” Navarro said in the Instagram post. “I am taking the rest of this year to work on dialing in my medication and fueling protocols so that I can hopefully feel back to 100 percent again.”

Navarro reached a career-high ranking of No. 8 in 2024, when she made it to the U.S. open semifinals and was also voted Most Improved player on the women's elite tour. She said she'd been experiencing increased hunger and a weakening immune system since 2023 but pushed through to keep up with her busy tennis schedule.

She said she had headaches, dizziness and fatigue during her run to the quarterfinals of the 2025 Australian Open. Doctors diagnosed her in November 2025.

“Over the past year, I have gone all in. Changing my diet, increasing my energy intake ... although it took a while to start feeling better, I gradually made progress,” Navarro wrote. “So yeah. I gained some weight this year. But I also gained my life back.”