Emma Navarro, the 25-year-old American tennis player, has announced an indefinite hiatus from competition this year as she addresses a complex health diagnosis that has affected her performance on the professional circuit. Born in New York and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Navarro had experienced a rapid ascent in the sport, climbing from world No. 149 at the beginning of 2023 to a career-high ranking of No. 8 by early 2025.

Navarro’s breakthrough featured notable victories over top-ranked opponents, including No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and multiple wins against Coco Gauff at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. These achievements secured her one of the four coveted US singles spots for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, underscoring a swift and steady rise through the ranks fueled by an intensive competition schedule.

However, her 2026 season has been marked by struggles and a noticeable decline in results. After competing in nine tournaments by mid-March but securing only four match wins, Navarro took a two-month break from the tour following an early exit at a WTA 125 event in Austin, Texas. Although she returned briefly at the Italian Open in May, she subsequently announced on social media that she would be pausing her season to focus on her health.

Navarro revealed that she has been diagnosed with relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), a condition characterized by insufficient energy intake to meet the demands of physical activity and essential bodily functions. Though traditionally associated with endurance athletes, RED-S can affect athletes across disciplines, regardless of gender or sport.

Alongside RED-S, Navarro disclosed a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disorder that impairs thyroid hormone production, potentially causing fatigue, joint pain, cognitive difficulties, and other symptoms. She detailed a range of challenges experienced over the past two seasons, including mood swings, extreme hunger, immune weakness, and cognitive impairment.

Experts note that RED-S remains underrecognized outside of endurance sports and can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms—which include fatigue, repeated injury, and menstrual irregularities—overlap with other medical conditions or may appear as routine effects of a demanding athletic career. The International Olympic Committee first outlined RED-S as a clinical framework in 2014, emphasizing the need to rule out other possible causes before confirming the syndrome.

Specialists have praised Navarro’s openness about her condition, highlighting the role of elite athletes in raising awareness and fostering dialogue around athlete health and proper nutrition. Anna Roby, a registered dietitian and physiologist, emphasized that RED-S can impact any athlete who undergoes intense physical training.

Reflecting on her experience in a social media statement, Navarro acknowledged that while her external achievements continued to improve, internally she felt “off” and encountered emotional and physical symptoms that diverged from her previous norms. Her case has contributed to a broader conversation about the importance of recognizing and addressing health issues that can quietly undermine athletic performance.