When Emilio Nava steps in Louis Armstrong Stadium on Sunday to start his US Open against the American NR. 1 Taylor Fritz, the 23-year-old plays more than a match win. Nava will represent a cause: the Live Like Braun Foundation.
In May, an 18-year-old tennis player from California, Braun Levi, was tragically killed in an accident by a suspected drunken driver. Nava heard about the incident of a friend for the first time, Roy Horovitz. Another friend, Ignacio Arenas, brought it up again and it started to take even more meaning for the American.
“It was super sad and to be part of it and try to help somehow, even if it just by representing, I was ready for it and I think it’s great,” Nava Atptour.com said. “If I can help one percent and try to extend the story about his life and what he did, it would be great.
“But that’s not just about that, but the reason why he unfortunately died, drunk driving. It tries to end that. It is as simple as that one person lets go home that one evening. It ends with drunk driving, having a friend ride, take an uber. You let people go home when you do.”
Nava has worn a patch for the Live Like Braun Foundation to increase consciousness. It helped that he plays the best tennis of his career and is on a career-high no. 101 in the PIF ATP ranking. He just played Fritz in the second round of the Cincinnati Open in the largest stadium in the ATP Masters 1000 event.
“This year I have become pretty happy with some pretty good results and the better results, the higher platform you have,” said Nava. “I am now in my highest rank and I feel that I have a bit of a voice. I played Cincinnati and I played a few times on the middle jobs. That was an unreal experience.
“I got a little lighting with the patch and just tried to get the word and try to help and hopefully have an influence on someone’s life and it changes someone’s life. That is the ultimate goal.”
Fritz and Nava are both Californians who have brought their games to the largest stages in the world. Nava will try to hit back in his Lexus ATP Head2head series with Fritz, which leads 2-0.
“It is amazing that we started playing in Socal to now one of the largest stadiums in the world,” said Nava. “I’m just super enthusiastic about it … he’s really a good competitor.”
The five-fold ATP Challenger Tour champion changed his team in December and started working with Argentines Diego Cristin and Federico Diorio. That movement has proven to be fruitful, where Nava claims three of its titles this season.
“We have a good thing,” said Nava. “We understand that tennis is a big sleek game, but at the end of the day it is extremely mentally and we really lock that part.”
This will be Nava’s fourth US Open -performance and he has learned a lot from his first experiences at the last major of the season, including a match against Andy Murray in 2022. The Scot triumphed in four sets.
“It’s just another court, the dimensions are the same. Just try to go outside, to compete and have fun. I wish someone would have told me that when I was 18, 19 and who had wild cards and who had opportunities to play,” said Nava. “But at the same time, without those wildcards I would not be where I am today, because I would not have had the experience I received. I would not have received the help I received and I am very grateful, especially for the USTA.”
Win or loss, Nava knows that it is about more than tennis. What is his last message to the fans who watch?
“To be honest, just try to put an end to drunk driving,” said Nava. “It lets people go home at night and it saves lives.”
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