American professional tennis player Emilio Nava followed in the footsteps of his parents, who are originally from Mexico.
Emilio’s father, Eduardo Nava, is a former Olympic sprinter, while his mother, Xochitl Escobedo, was a professional tennis player for Mexico.
Meanwhile, his brother, Eduardo Nava, is also a professional tennis player who played college tennis at TCU and Wake Forest University.
Emilio Nava received a wildcard into the singles main draw and made his ATP main debut at the 2019 Abierto Mexican Telcel. However, he lost to Mackenzie McDonald in the first round.
Later, Nava’s ATP Masters 100 level debut came in 2021 when qualified for the main draw at the 2021 Miami Open.
Emilio lost to Lorenzo Musetti in his grand slam debut at the 2021 US Open.
The tennis player won his first Challenger title at the 2022 Shymkent Challenger. He later received a wildcard for the main draw of the 2023 Miami Open for a second consecutive year.
The 21-year-old made his main draw debut at the 2023 French Open as a qualifier. He lost to Roberto Carballes Baena.
Emilio Nava Parents
The Nava family has a passion for athletics. In addition to an Olympic sprinter father, the family consists of three professional tennis players: Emilio Nava, his brother Eduardo, and their mother.
Father Eduardo Nava
Born on August 26, 1968, Eduardo Nava Alcantara is a former Mexican sprinter who specialized in the 100m, 200m, and 4*100 meters events.
Nava competed in the men’s 100 meters at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
Prior to his first Olympic appearances, Eduardo represented Mexico in the 1996 Athina IAAF World Junior Championships for 100m and 200-meter events.
Later, Emilio’s father appeared at the Tokyo IAAF World Championships for 100m and 4*100 meters events in 1991.
Moreover, he also participated in the men’s 4*100 meters relay at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
However, there are no records of the athlete after the 1992 Olympics, so he could have retired from major tournaments after the event.
Mother Xóchitl Escobedo
The mother of Emilio Nava, Xochitla Escobedo, is a retired female tennis player who represented Mexico in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea alongside her husband Eduardo.
On November 20, 1989, she climbed to her highest singles position in her career, moving up to position 284 in the world.
Throughout her ITF career, Escobedo has appeared in six singles games, out of which she won three: one in 1991(Mexico) and two in 1993 (Ecuador and Mexico).
However, her record for doubles is quite fascinating. Xochitl won 15 out of 18 doubles in her professional ITF career, where most of her wins came in Mexican surface.
Emilio Nava Parents Are His Inspiration
Emilio Nava, a rising tennis star, was destined for greatness. Both of his parents took part in the 1988 Summer Olympics for Mexico, competing and representing their own nation.
Emilio has decided to emulate his parents’ career choices, but he will do so on the tennis court.
“Having my mom play tennis and my dad run track, it’s a different point of view,” he opened up in an interview.
“My mom has taught me how to compete and never give up, while my dad taught me to just be an absolute fighter, to fight every point,” Nava added.
Nava believes that the support of his parents has been a major asset for his potential career.
He often acknowledges their guidance and considers them his biggest source of inspiration.
