Emma Navarro reveals health struggles as she focuses on recovery for next season

Emma Navarro says she is recovering from health problems that affected her energy, weight and emotions while competing on the professional tennis tour. The American is missing the Asian swing as she works towards next season, according to BBC Sport's report on an Instagram post in which she described the difficulties behind her results.

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The 25-year-old said she was diagnosed with relative energy deficiency in sport, known as RED-S, towards the end of 2025. She subsequently learned she also had Hashimoto's hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disorder. Navarro described seeking help from doctors, nutritionists and other specialists after a prolonged period of symptoms, and said she had come to recognise that she had been under-fuelling for almost that entire time.

Her account traced the warning signs back through three years in which her progress on court initially helped her overlook the problems. Navarro said she lost about 14kg during 2023 and 2024. As her ranking and athletic performance improved, she and her team believed their approach was working, even though she was experiencing difficulties that were not apparent from her results.

Navarro recalled feeling unusually angry during the week of her first WTA Tour title at the Hobart International. She described frustration with her team, disruptions to routines and mistakes on court, while trying to conceal those feelings from others. Persistent hunger was another problem. During 2025, she said her symptoms also included headaches, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty thinking clearly, anxiety and changes in mood.

BBC Sport reported that the health issues contributed to a difficult opening to 2026, when Navarro lost nine of her first 13 matches and withdrew from the Charleston Open at the end of March. She later won the Strasbourg Open in May, her first title in more than a year, and is currently ranked 24th in the world.

In describing her recovery, Navarro said gaining weight had been accompanied by a return of the energy she needed for training, competition and everyday life. She also emphasised being able to enjoy activities beyond tennis. Her decision to miss the Asian events comes as she continues that recovery with next season in view.