In a sweeping 14-page and nearly 2,000 word Instagram post, Emma Navarro has revealed the full extent of the health struggles that has affected her for nearly three years, explaining the symptoms, diagnoses and difficult recovery that led her to step away from tennis earlier this season. She also added that she will skip the rest of the 2026 season in order to get her health issues completely under control ahead of 2027.
The 25-year-old American, currently ranked No. 24, said she was diagnosed last fall with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), complicated by Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.
“What you probably don’t know is that these challenges began almost three years ago and were heavily influenced by the choices I made early in my professional career relating to training, fueling, competing and recovery,” Navarro explained on Instagram.
Navarro traced the problems back to 2023, when she played 88 matches and lost nearly 20 pounds while rapidly climbing the rankings.
“I was hungry. Every hour of the day, I was hungry,” she wrote. “I thought I was doing what professional athletes are supposed to do. Getting lean to optimize performance.”
At the same time, the former Virginia Cavalier was fulfilling her dreams on the WTA Tour. Navarro surged, winning her first WTA title in Hobart, reaching the 2024 US Open semifinals and climbed to a career-high No. 8.
“I must be doing things right, I thought, otherwise I wouldn’t be having this success,” she said of her mindset at the time.
But Navarro had lost another 10 pounds during 2024, and her symptoms continued to worsen.
“I couldn’t think straight a lot of the time,” she wrote. “My brain felt slow and tired, as did my body.”
By the start of 2025, Navarro said she was dealing with “headaches, dizziness, brain fog, fatigue, anxiousness, mood swings,” and recalled breaking down in tears after practice in Melbourne. She nevertheless reached the Australian Open quarterfinals.
“That was the last bit of myself I had,” she wrote.
Navarro eventually stepped away from the tour this spring, revealing at the time that she had been dealing with health issues but not disclosing their full extent. Her latest statement fills in much of what was left unsaid.
After meeting with specialists in November 2025, Navarro explained the conclusion they came to. “We figured out that I had been under-fueling for almost three years. My body was fighting back any way it knew how. It had been screaming at me for years, and I ignored it.”
Recovery required increasing her energy intake, changing her diet, adjusting medication and accepting significant changes to her body.
“So yeah, I gained some weight this year,” Navarro wrote. “But I also gained my life back.
“I have enough energy to seize every day, to train or compete as hard as I want to, and to live a life outside of tennis.”
Navarro says she will skip the Asian swing and spend the remainder of 2026 continuing to work on her medication and fueling, with plans to return in Australia in 2027.
“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.”
Hey Emma, That was a tough road to handle knowing how it affects us physically and mentally. I went undiagnosed way too long before it was realized I had Hashimoto, TSH at 143. Crazy that I was pushing thru with tennis and kids. All good now:) Happy you got it under control! Keep moving forward, you are admired in so many ways❤️
I applaud Emma for coming forward with her struggles. Her health is paramount to any job or career path. I look forward to cheering her on in her life, even if that means stepping away from tennis. I will continue to be a fan of hers, either way. Selfishly, I do hope she returns to tennis as she is a joy to watch!
Very courageous of Emma to come out at this time and explain her issues and, also, making the tough decision to shut down her 2026 season to concentrate on her health. Wishing you all the best in 2027.
One beautiful and amazing young lady. After not seeing her play for awhile when she returned it was obvious that she had gained some weight. Too much pizza?
No – health issues. We all admire these athletes but have little idea of what the go through. Fitness, nutrition,travel, sleep. Good to see her back. Good things happen to good people.
I am very moved by Emma sharing her story. As a psychologist who works with athletes and as a former college tennis player who has had my own struggles with eating and thyroid issues, I applaud her for discussing this. Athletes are people too and there is so much pressure to train and look in particular ways. Everyone benefits when people, including athletes like Emma, are real about their struggles and efforts to prioritize their well-being. Go, Emma!!
Wishing you well, Emma. Your health is first and foremost. Looking forward to watching you again in 2027.
Emma, I am so happy you are on the road to better health. Being a tennis athlete at your level requires the utmost attention to knowing your own body and taking care of yourself. We want to see you play tennis and succeed at a high level for many years to come. It is not necessary to play every tournament. A break here and there is good not only for your physical health, but for your mental health as well.
Thank you for being one of my favorite American girls to watch! First saw you in Cincy two years ago. What a great venue and experience! Keep up the good work.