How Emma Navarro Keeps Her Hair Sleek During Tennis Matches
She swears by one product to prevent flyaways.
Emma Navarro always has to watch Love Island USA on a delay. The hit series coincides with the tennis season for the 25-year-old athlete, so while she frequently fell behind on Season 8 this summer, she still tuned in to root for Bryce Dettloff and Trinity Tatum after long days on the court. “It’s a good way to shut your brain off and wind down a bit,” Navarro says. “It makes my life feel pretty tame when I watch all that drama.”
Though she may not be doing karaoke competitions in the villa, Navarro’s own life is a whirlwind of fast-paced matches and frequent-flier miles. In the middle of her fourth WTA Tour, Navarro is currently ranked No. 26 worldwide after taking a few months off to focus on her health. She hasn’t let the brief hiatus from the sport keep her from falling behind. She earned her third career WTA Tour title (and her first on clay) at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in May and had a strong run at the Nottingham Open a few weeks later.
In addition to balancing tennis commitments and catching up on reality TV, Navarro recently joined Ulta Beauty’s first-ever Beauty Roster as a brand ambassador, alongside fellow athletes Anna Leigh Waters, Dearica Hamby, Madisen Skinner, Midge Purce, and Vanita Krouch. The initiative introduces the Roster for Change grant, which provides funding for local sports leagues to help reduce the financial burden for girls across the U.S. “It’s about helping the next generation, especially young girls with big aspirations in sports,” Navarro says. “I was there not that long ago, and I know how much that support means.”
Below, Navarro gives an inside look into her post-match rituals, the one meal she always eats after a tournament, and her must-have beauty necessities for each game.
Elite Daily: Congratulations on your win at Strasbourg and your recent strong finishes at Nottingham and Wimbledon. How does it feel to come back to the game after taking a few months off to focus on your health?
Emma Navarro: Relieving. There was a lot up in the air for a period of time, and I wasn’t feeling my best. I was able to enjoy a little bit of life outside of tennis, which was nice. Coming back, I feel really appreciative for the opportunity to continue to play the sport I love and travel the world and meet new people.
ED: Was there anything in particular that you missed when you were taking time off?
EN: I missed the chaos of the tour. Every day is a new adventure, and there’s always a new challenge ahead of you. It’s never easy; every match is a tough one. There’s also the component of being away from home and trying to navigate new cities and countries. It’s a lot of go, go, go, which keeps things interesting and entertaining.
ED: You recently joined Ulta’s first-ever Beauty Roster, which is the brand’s biggest investment in women’s sports. Do you have any words of wisdom for younger girls who want to pursue a career like yours?
EN: Dream as big as you can and take it one day at a time. Improvements don’t happen overnight, but if you consistently continue to put in the work day after day, you’ll look back years later and realize how far you’ve come. Appreciate where you’re at even when it’s hard. That’s the good stuff. Hang on to those days and never lose the joy of the game because that’s what sports are all about: having fun.
ED: You’ve been playing tennis since you were a kid. Do you have any post-match routines that you always follow?
EN: Usually I’ll get on the bike for a little bit, decompress a little, and then I’ll stretch for 15 to 20 minutes. Then I talk to my coach and debrief the match before showering, doing some media, and getting something to eat.
ED: Is there anything you crave after a game?
EN: I always have a recovery shake on the bike after my match. And then, honestly, chicken and rice is kind of a go-to. It’s simple and has carbs and protein.
ED: Are there any beauty products that you like to use before a game?
EN: Before matches, I always use the Sunbum sunscreen or La Roche-Posay. Protecting my skin is a huge thing since we’re out in the sun all the time. My mom would always tell me to wear my sunscreen, so that’s important to me. I always use the JVN StyleFix Stick because I wear my hair in a ponytail pretty much all the time, and it keeps it smooth and doesn’t feel too heavy.
ED: Are there any wellness products you use to help you recover?
EN: A foam roller. I usually travel with a physiotherapist, so we’ll do a lot of hands-on treatment after matches.
ED: How do you get out of your head when a tournament doesn’t go as planned?
EN: You learn over time that you can’t live and die with each result, which is tough because you put so much work in, and it’s hard when things don’t go your way. I usually give myself the rest of that day to feel however I feel, and then the next day it’s on to a new city and practicing again. It’s important to take the positives and negatives from your match and figure out what you want to do better, and make that your focus instead of living in the past.
ED: How do you celebrate after a win?
EN: I honestly don’t really celebrate. There’s always another match to play, so it’s a pretty similar routine, win or lose. I like to debrief the match with my coach and then move on. But I do love to be outside, so if we’re in a nice city, I love to go out, take a walk, maybe go to a nice restaurant for dinner. That’s as much celebrating as I’ll do.
ED: What are you manifesting for the rest of 2026?
EN: Good vibes, good health, enjoying what I’m doing, embracing the challenges, appreciating the good moments, and not letting the bad ones get me down too much. Hopefully seeing my family and friends a bunch, and just living in the moment and enjoying every day for what it is.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
