“I think I can win it”

Paula Badosa collapsed, and Emma Navarro took advantage.

Navarro, the 13th-seeded and former NCAA singles champion out of the University of Virginia, came back from a 5-1 deficit in the second set to defeat 26th-seeded Badosa 6-2, 7-5 to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open.

In Thursday’s semifinals she will face second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated seventh-seeded Qinwin Zheng, Olympic gold medalist, 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday evening.

“I think deep down I believe (that I can win),” Navarro, who lost in the first round last year, told ESPN’s Nick Kyrgios after beating reigning champion Coco Gauff in the fourth round.

“Yes, I think I can win it.”

Navarro is 1-1 against Sabalenka.

“I’m going to take on the challenge of both,” she told ESPN’s Rennae Stubbs on the court before Sabalenka’s match. “They’re both big servers, big hitters. I think they’re going to come at me aggressively, whichever one it was, but yeah, I’m going to be ready.”

Navarro, 23, will receive $1 million for reaching the semifinals, with the champion taking home $3.6 million and the runner-up $1.8 million.

Navarro, born in New York City, is the daughter of billionaire Ben Navarro, who owns tennis tournaments in Charleston, Cincinnati and Monterey.

“I want to thank my dad who saw a vision when I was really young,” Navarro told ESPN’s Rennae Stubbs. “He knew I might have a little bit of ADHD from being in a classroom or a 9-to-5 job, and I think he saw something in me at a young age, so thank you, Dad, for sending me on this journey.”

Badosa led 5-1 and served the second set at 5-2, but let go and Navarro made it 3-5.

“After I got it back to 5-2, I kind of had a feeling it was going to be straight sets and I just wanted to stay really strong and stay in it and even if I lost the second set, I wanted to set the tone for the third set,” Navarro said. “So just really happy with my performance today.

“Crazy, on to the semi-finals. US Open, baby.”

Navarro won 12 of 13 points and served to 4-5, while Badosa collapsed.

“She’s completely out of rhythm on every stroke, serve, forehand, backhand, out of nowhere,” ESPN’s Rennae Stubbs said on the broadcast.

Badosa then made two double faults and was broken for 5-5.

At 1.78 meters (30-30), Badosa hit a forehand, giving Navarro match point.

“I think I can win this match in straight sets,” Navarro said.

On match point, Navarro won the match with a drop shot and celebrated by throwing her hands in the air, then met Badosa at the net.

Navarro won the last six games of the match.

“Nerves cost her the match,” 18-time major champion Chrissie Evert said on the radio.

Navarro is very confident about the future and believes she can beat anyone.

“I’m at a point in my career where I’m not afraid of any result or any opportunity in any tournament,” she said.