Mariano Navone's US Open Journey and Support from Julieta Villarreal Cerezo
Mariano Navone is tearing through the US Open draw and straight into the global spotlight. The Argentinian, who stunned Novak Djokovic in the first round and backed it up by knocking out Matteo Berrettini in round two, now faces compatriot Tomás Martín Etcheverry on September 4 in the biggest fortnight of his career.
This is uncharted territory for Navone in New York. No Grand Slam titles, no previous deep run here, just a late-blooming contender suddenly playing like he belongs among the heavyweights. With every win, the questions grow: who is he, where did he come from, and what does life look like away from the noise of Arthur Ashe?
One answer came straight from the player himself.
A big night, shared
After his seismic first-round victory over Djokovic, Navone let the guard drop for a moment in his press conference. The adrenaline was still coursing, the magnitude of the result still sinking in, when he was asked who he would celebrate with.
“I don't want to get too emotional, but… it's going to be quite a night,” he said. “In a little while, I'll call my sisters, my girlfriend, everyone. It's just crazy, but I'm truly happy, so happy about this.”
No mystery there: Navone is in a relationship, and he made it clear that his inner circle, including his partner, sits right at the heart of this breakthrough run.
Who is Julieta Villarreal Cerezo?
Navone’s girlfriend is Julieta Villarreal Cerezo, a figure who has largely stayed in the background while his ranking and reputation rise. Scroll through his Instagram and you’ll mostly find the usual fare for a touring pro: training clips, match photos, travel snapshots from another week on the road.
Then, in February 2025, there is a different kind of post.
To mark Cerezo’s birthday, Navone shared a tribute that revealed a softer, domestic side to a player currently trading blows with the game’s giants. Written in his native language, the message roughly translated to a celebration of “unconditional love,” of a companion “like no other,” and a playful nod to her “amazing chocotorta.” He signed it off with a simple declaration: he loves her, and he wants more “coffee and little trips” together.
It wasn’t a one-off. He had also posted a birthday message for her in February 2024, a hint that this is no whirlwind romance born from sudden fame, but a relationship with roots that pre-date his current surge. The exact start of their time together remains private, but the pattern is clear: she has been there for more than just this New York fairytale.
A career built around sport
Cerezo’s own career runs parallel to Navone’s world, even if she operates on the other side of the media rope.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she works as a senior communications analyst in the marketing department at Asociación Argentina de Polo, a role she has held since 2024. It’s a job embedded in elite sport, dealing with image, messaging and the careful management of a traditional, high-profile institution.
Before that, from 2019 to 2024, she worked in the press and communications department at Asociación Argentina de Tenis. Those years spent inside Argentine tennis’s official structure may well have provided the bridge to Navone, who was rising through the ranks at the same time. The overlap is striking: a communications professional immersed in the sport, and a player grinding his way up the ladder.
The exact moment their paths crossed isn’t public, but the connection between their worlds is obvious.
The support behind the surge
As Navone prepares to walk out for his third-round match against Etcheverry, the narrative will focus on tactics, rankings, and the shockwaves of that Djokovic upset. Yet his own words after that first-round win told a different story: on the biggest night of his career, his instinct was to reach for his sisters, his girlfriend, his people.
For a player chasing his first Grand Slam title, that kind of anchor matters. The tennis world is only just discovering Mariano Navone. Julieta Villarreal Cerezo has been part of his story for much longer.
