Meet the teenage star backed by Novak Djokovic who went from No.172 to top 20 in a year | Tennis | Sport
Iva Jovic has enjoyed an impressive rise up the ranks in the last 18 months (Image: Getty)
This time last year, 18-year-old Iva Jovic had never played a professional match on grass. But that didn’t stop her from winning her first WTA 125 title in Ilkley – a victory that allowed her to break into the world’s top 100 for the first time. Now, 12 months on and ranked at No. 19, Jovic is getting her grass season underway more than 200 miles south at London’s Queen’s Club.
The American has enjoyed a rapid rise over the last year and a half. Last February, she was ranked down at No. 172 in the world. Within a year, she cracked the top 20 after reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals. Jovic already has the backing of tennis icon Novak Djokovic and has since won a WTA 500 title in Guadalajara, but this will still be her first full grass season on the WTA Tour.
“Last year, the grass was really good for me, so hopefully, I can do it again this year,” Jovic told Express Sport as she looked ahead to Queen’s, Nottingham and Wimbledon. The teenager arrives on the lawn fresh off a third-round showing at Roland Garros and is ready to test herself on another natural surface.
“I think the good thing about playing on the clay is you’re technically and tactically a better player when you come off of it. In general, I enjoy the back end of the year because I feel like I’ve improved so much from playing on the different surfaces,” she explained. “So hopefully, that helps me for grass. I’m going to stay in Europe and get on the grass early. Hopefully, I can have that advantage over some of the other players as well.”
California-born Jovic has Serbian and Croatian parents, though she also benefits from some ‘home’ support at Queen’s and Wimbledon. “I have family in every corner of the world, honestly. I have so many cousins, but I have a lot of my dad’s family in London. They’re gonna come. They cheer very loud, so they’re good support,” she laughed.
Her family were also present when she qualified for a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at Wimbledon last year. “Qualies for Wimbledon was one of the most incredible things ever. I wanted that so badly,” she recalled.
“It was a lot of good vibes, and grass is just fun. It’s a little different, and only a couple of weeks in a year, so you cherish it quite a lot.”
A year after lifting the trophy in Ilkley, Iva Jovic is making her debut at the Queen’s Club (Image: Getty)
While the 2025 Ilkley Open was the site of Jovic’s first WTA 125 title, the American had spent plenty of time competing on the ITF circuit – the lower rungs of the tennis tour. To the eye, her breakthrough might have been sudden, but Jovic credits those ITF matches for helping her rise up the ranks and adjust to the relentless nature of the professional tour.
She explained: “I highly, highly rate the ITF level, and I think winning matches at any level is quite impressive, and it’s much easier to go from the ITFs to the pros than kind of just jumping in as a wild card, or not really having that experience in ITFs. And I think all those girls are really good down there, so when I played those, I feel like it wasn’t that big of a level jump to come to the WTA.”
Jovic also had to play lower-level events because the WTA Tour has age eligibility rules that prevent players under 18 from playing too many tournaments, to prevent burnout or injury. “I mean, looking back, it was annoying. But now, I think it gave me more time to have those training blocks,” she added.
“Because it’s a big issue and worry that when you’re breaking out young, that your body is not ready, and you get hurt a lot. But I had that time to kind of focus on building myself, and it’s still the main focus. Last year was great with that.”
As Jovic has emerged as one of the tour’s breakout stars, the attention has also increased. During her run to the Australian Open quarter-finals this year, her idol, Djokovic, gave her several shoutouts. And he’s since become a source of advice for the 18-year-old.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
“It’s amazing. I will always remember that day [in Australia]. Obviously, we talk, and I can communicate with him whenever I want. But yeah, he gives me a couple of shoutouts, and it’s amazing. He’s one of the smartest people, honestly, that I know, so I go to him whenever I need some tennis advice, honestly, any life advice, as well, I’ll take from him. He’s a really smart guy, and hopefully, I can do some of the things that he does.”
The world No. 19 also has her WTA Tour colleagues to lean on. Jovic is one of several talented young stars who have announced themselves in recent months, alongside Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala. While some rivals would keep their distance off the court, the trio are helping each other navigate life on the pro circuit.
“I don’t know if our relationships are more giving advice. I think it’s more just bonding over the things that we’re collectively struggling with. I don’t think any of us are old enough to even know what the right thing is, but it’s just nice when you can kind of go to someone and be like, ‘Hey, I’m struggling with this or this’,” Jovic said.
They’ve already figured out how to juggle friendship and competition. Jovic beat Eala in the first round of the French Open, just a couple of days after they went out for dinner together. “We’re just, like, a close-knit group, you know? We can confide in each other, and we know it’s not gonna get out there. And yeah, we can put it aside. You can be friends and still fight your butt off and try to win really badly,” she smiled.
And they may well be putting their friendship aside on the court at Queen’s this week, as Jovic and Eala could face off again in the second round.
