Emma Navarro’s parents: Meet billionaire Ben Navarro and his wife Kelly Navarro
Emma Navarro’s parents, Kelly and Ben Navarro nurtured their daughter’s talent to ensure she joined the upper echelons of the professional tennis circuit. The breakout tennis star often acknowledges her billionaire father’s support.
My dad has always been in my corner, getting me coaching and training and whatever I needed.
Source: UGC
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Key takeaways
- Emma Navarro’s parents have deep ties in the tennis world as owners of major tennis tournaments.
- The Navarro family has lived in Charleston, South Carolina, since the early 2000s.
- Emma’s father, Ben Navarro, is a self-made billionaire who left a high-ranking position at an investment bank in the late 1990s to establish Sherman Financial Group.
Emma Navarro’s parents have four kids
Ben and Kelly Navarro have been married for almost three decades. They welcomed two sons, Owen and Earl, and two daughters, Meggie and Emma. Meggie is following in her big sister’s footsteps. She plays college tennis at the University of Virginia.
Emma Navarro's siblings and parents are usually seen supporting her during matches. Following her exit from the 2024 US Open in September, she expressed her gratitude to them in a post-match interview, saying,
My family is incredibly supportive, and they're always in my corner no matter what. To them, I’m a daughter and a sister before I am a tennis player. I think it’s really important for me to have those people around me that keep me grounded, especially when things can feel overwhelming or just out of my control.
Source: Original
The Navarro family is based in Charleston, South Carolina
Ben and Kelly Navarro have been living in Charleston since 2004, according to the Post and Courier. They purchased a $3 million home on Broad Street, Charleston, in 2010. Emma shared her love for her hometown while talking to Garden&G in April 2024.
Charleston is my favourite city in the world – I love to walk around downtown and see the houses and say good morning or good evening to the people.
The family previously lived in New York City. Ben was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and raised in Rhode Island.
Source: Getty Images
Emma Navarro’s father is a self-made billionaire businessman
Ben Navarro’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 billion in 2025, according to Forbes. He is the CEO of Sherman Financial Group, a Charleston-based debt collection firm that he established in 1998.
Sherman’s major assets include Las Vegas-based lender Credit One Bank. Ben previously served as the vice president of Citigroup. He also worked at Gold Sachs for three years after graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 1984 with a degree in finance.
Source: Getty Images
Emma Navarro’s father bought several major tennis tournaments
Benjamin has done notable work in tennis over the years. In August 2022, he purchased the Cincinnati-based Western & Southern Open from the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He paid almost $300 million through his family office, Beemok Capital.
In 2018, the billionaire acquired Charleston Tennis LLC, the operator of the WTA Credit One Charleston Open. Ben spent around $50 million to renovate the Credit One Stadium in 2022.
Navarro operates two tennis complexes in Charleston that serve as host sites for a tennis academy for aspiring players, the USTA Girls’ 18s National Clay Court Championship, and the USTA Pro Circuit events. In 2019, USTA honoured the Navarros as South Carolina’s tennis family of the year.
Source: Getty Images
Ben Navarro wanted to buy the Carolina Panthers
In early 2018, Ben expressed interest in purchasing the Carolina Panthers after its owner Jerry Richardson was accused of misconduct at the workplace. The NFL team was estimated to be worth around $2 billion in the open market. Navarro lost the bid to hedge fund manager David Tepper.
The billionaire’s interest in football comes from his ties to the game when he was growing up. His late father Frank Navarro was a head coach for several college football teams, including the Princeton Tigers, the Wabash Little Giants, and the Columbia Lions.
Ben Navarro owns multiple properties around Charleston
In 2021, Navarro ventured into the hospitality industry with the purchase of the Charleston Place, the largest hotel in downtown Charleston. He paid around $500 million for the 433-room hotel.
Ben expanded his real estate footprint in 2024 when he bought the 70-acre Union Pier site from the South Carolina State Ports Authority. He plans to develop the historic property.
Source: Getty Images
Emma Navarro’s parents are philanthropists
The Navarros established Meeting Street Schools in 2008. The network includes three public schools and one private academy to serve students from an under-resourced demographic.
In 2020, Ben and Kelly launched the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund to benefit students within the Charleston County School District. They also founded a mental wellness centre called Modern Minds in partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina.
Source: Getty Images
Emma Navarro is building her wealth
Emma Navarro is a billionaire heiress, but she is also earning millions of dollars from playing tennis. Her career earnings have reached $4.23 million as of February 2025.
What is Emma Navarro's heritage?
The American pro tennis athlete is Italian. Emma's paternal great-grandparents migrated to the United States from Italy.
Source: Getty Images
Emma Navarro’s parents continue to play a role in their daughter’s success in professional tennis. Their work in Charleston is also a generational legacy.
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Source: Briefly News
