The time is now for Emma Navarro.

The 23-year-old professional tennis player arrived on to the scene in 2024, and is now looking to shatter the glass ceiling in 2025.

Navarro finished the year as the eighth ranked player in the world, after starting the season outside the top 30.

Highlighting her year, the American born player won her first Hologic title of her career, defeating two-time champion Elise Mertens to win the Hobart International.

It didn’t end there for Navarro, as she defeated Coco Gauff at two Grand Slam events.

She bested Gauff at Wimbledon in the Round of 16, before doing the same to her at the U.S. Open.

Gauff finished the year ranked third, winning three titles along the way.

Navarro, the heiress to the billion dollar Credit One Bank fortune, has all the momentum heading into the new year.

Former professional player, Andrea Petkovic, appeared on the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, and shed light on what makes Navarro so dangerous as a competitor.

“Her biggest strength is that she reads energies of the game,” Petkovic said. “That’s why she keeps beating Coco Gauff

“It’s like a predator in the woods, she smells the nervousness on the other side.

“It was the same against Paula [Badosa, at the US Open], 5-1 and then Emma just didn’t miss a ball, and back to 5-5.”

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Predator-like instincts are almost a requirement for any professional athlete in any sport.

It’s also what separates the stars from the superstars.

Having that killer instinct, finishing off your opponent when you have the chance.

That’s what Navarro was able to do to Gauff both times they faced.

Navarro will look to keep last season’s momentum heading into the new year, as she begins her year at the Brisbane International.

She will be the third seed behind the world’s number one player, Aryna Sabalenka, followed by fellow American, Jessica Pegula.

The billion dollar throne can wait, as Navarro looks to capture her first Grand Slam title in 2025.

A feat that the predator has been stalking for quite some time now.