18-Year-Old Iva Jovic 'Eager to Rack Up Experience and Keep Improving' After AO Quarterfinal Run

Iva Jovic's Hot Start Rolls On: American Teen Targets More Top-Level Matches After Australian Open Quarters

© MARTIN KEEP / AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 07/02/2026 à 12h17

2 min to read

Jovic Iva Open d'Australie

One of the biggest breakthroughs of recent months, Iva Jovic has taken another leap forward in recent weeks. Now world No. 20 at just 18 years old, the young American prodigy reached the semifinals in Auckland, the final in Hobart, and above all the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Only Aryna Sabalenka managed to halt her run in Melbourne. Withdrawing from next week's Doha WTA 1000, Jovic is already itching to get back on court and show everything she's capable of.

“Everything I experienced in Melbourne was incredible”

“The week has been pretty calm since I got back from Australia. I rested up a bit at first, but I've already returned to training to prepare for the next tournaments.

The season is just getting started. Everything I experienced in Melbourne was incredible—it was a dream to be there, and the matches were unreal. Everything's different at the Grand Slams, starting with the rest days between matches.

In reality, it's a long process, with crowds of people around and lots of off-court interactions, so you have to stay focused in your own bubble. I'm coming back with a very clear idea of what I need to work on and what's already clicking.

“At first, I was intimidated to face a top-300 player”

Obviously, taking on the world No. 1 helps put things in perspective, so I'm really eager to pile up experience and keep improving. I remember being super intimidated at the start about playing a top-300 player, but now I'm up against the No. 1 and other top-5 opponents.

Ultimately, it's the same process either way. You have to adapt to the highest level, just like I did in the Juniors. The key now is to be super precise right from the outset, because there's not much time to find your rhythm once the match gets going.

You have to know exactly what to do, stick to your plan, and execute it. I need to sharpen those opening strikes to fully engage in every point,” Jovic told Punto de Break.