Emilio Nava has been on a clay-court journey — one that started on a backyard court in Los Angeles, took shape in Spain and is now yielding the best results of his life. The American has claimed three consecutive ATP Challenger Tour titles on that surface.
Raised in Southern California, Nava lived down the street from coach Zibusiso Ncube, who since 2017 has been importing red clay from Europe to his backyard court. Nava also spent four years in Spain, basking in the country’s deep clay-court tradition at the Ferrero Tennis Academy and sharpening his skills alongside talent like Carlos Alcaraz.
Given Nava’s background, it makes sense why he has excelled on red clay.
“All my Challenger titles are on clay. I feel like that’s good,” Nava told ATPTour.com. “I would even say, we have this idea that Americans aren’t the greatest on clay, we had the Houston 250, all the quarter-finalists were Americans. It was sick to see. It was unreal.
“I feel great on the clay. I feel like I really get accustomed to it and I’m able to adapt very quickly.”
In previous years, Nava would start his season in Australia before competing indoors, either on home soil or in Europe. But entering 2025, he hired a new coach, Argentine Diego Cristin. Together, they chose a different path after Melbourne.
Nava embarked on a South American clay swing, spending two-and-a-half months across Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Chile. “I think that was the furthest south I’ve been,” Nava said. The journey included a stop in Cristin’s hometown Buenos Aires.
It may have been new territory, but it was a success. Nava was crowned champion in Asuncion, Paraguay and Concepcion, Chile. He then carried that momentum onto the green clay of Sarasota, Florida last week, completing a hat-trick of Challenger titles.
“I always liked the clay because I knew it gave me more time, so I always had that kind of mindset playing on the clay,” Nava said. “I can hit more effective balls.”
Nava is just the second American to win three clay-court Challenger trophies in the same season and, coincidentally, the first was his good friend Tristan Boyer just last year.
“That’s actually a super cool stat. That’s nice to know that we have those records,” Nava said with a laugh.
Nava and Boyer have known each other since their days competing in under-12 tournaments. There are several parallels in their journeys. Boyer previously worked with Cristin from 2019 to 2023. They now work with the same fitness team, Tennis Training Pro, an Argentina-based group. Nava and Boyer played doubles together at last year's US Open and reached the third round. They hope to team at Flushing Meadows again this season.
Flashback to their teenage years, Nava and Boyer found their footing on red clay while training at Ncube’s house.
“I witnessed how hard Emilio was working. You could tell the level of commitment was world class,” Ncube said. “Early-morning sessions, the warm-up routines, everything was intact.”
Nava is quick to credit his family and team for their support. He comes from an athletic background. His mother, Xochitl, and father, Eduardo, met at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, where they competed in tennis and track, respectively.
Coinciding with that strong foundation, Nava has always been a hard worker. But according to Ncube, the results did not come as quickly as the former junior No. 5 hoped.
“I believe it was in Carson, [California], the tournament just after Easter Bowl and I recall Emilio had just lost maybe a first-round match and he’s crying because I know he had put in so much work. And he was at a point where it’s like, ‘I worked so hard! I worked so hard!’ And his mom was trying to console him,” Ncube said.
“I came to him and I said, ‘Emmy, it's a long process. Trust the process. Everything’s going to be fine, keep working. Your time will come'. Those tears were coming from sheer work. That kid was committed… And he just hung in there and that became part of who he is.”
Ncube’s words stuck with Nava, and now, as a five-time Challenger champion ranked No. 140 in the PIF ATP Rankings, he is on the verge of surpassing his career high No. 124.
“It’s all about the work, I can’t emphasise that more,” Nava said. “Just competing every single point, no matter what.”
Emilio Nava is making GAINS 💪📈#OnTheRise | @usta pic.twitter.com/dkJj3BAqwc
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 14, 2025
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