Rafael Nadal’s notorious meticulousness with his courtside water bottles has inspired a fresh face in American tennis, Emma Navarro. The rising WTA star was recently seen mimicking Nadal’s ritual in a humorous masterclass orchestrated by 24-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic.
Nadal’s obsessive attention to detail has become legendary in the tennis world. As detailed in his autobiography, “Rafa: My Story”, the 14-time Roland Garros champion has a ritual of placing his bottles meticulously in front of his chair, diagonally aligned to the court, and drinking from them while maintaining alignment with his court position.
Navarro, it seems, has taken a page out of Nadal’s book, as was seen in a recent video shared by the official account of the BNP Paribas Open. The clip was a part of a series of lighthearted masterclasses given by top tennis pros to five lucky fans. The pros included Coco Gauff, who demonstrated the art of taking perfect fan-surrounded selfies, and Alexander Bublik, who educated on the best way to smash a racket on the court.
However, it was Navarro’s segment that stole the show. In a playful nod to Nadal, she offered advice on correctly aligning water bottles. With a straight face, she instructed the fans, “The distance as well…is very important. Make sure it’s about four inches.” She further added, “It’s a numbers game and it involves geometry, algebra. There’s so much precision and, you know, things you have to perfect.”
Away from the fun and games, Navarro has been making significant strides on the court. 2025 has been a particularly successful year for the American sensation. After early exits at the Australian Open, Qatar Open, and Dubai Tennis Championships, Navarro turned her fortunes around at the Merida Open, where she clinched her first ever WTA 500 title.
In an impressive display, Navarro defeated Colombian qualifier Emiliana Arango without dropping a single game, becoming the first player to achieve such a feat in a WTA final since Iga Swiatek’s victory over Karolina Pliskova at the 2021 Rome Open. Navarro didn’t drop a single set throughout the tournament.
On a roll, Navarro entered the BNP Paribas Open last week, but unfortunately, her run was cut short in the third round by Croatian player, Donna Vekic. Despite the setback, Navarro’s supporters are optimistic about her future performance, hoping for a comeback reminiscent of her Merida Open triumph.
Navarro’s humorous imitation of Nadal’s bottle ritual certainly made for entertaining viewing, but it’s her performance on the court that’s gaining serious attention. As she continues to grow in the sport, all eyes will be on this rising star to see if she can turn the tables in her favour in the upcoming tournaments.
