By Emily Salley
A “shining light”, the “ultimate professional” and “great news for women’s tennis” – rising star Iva Jovic has earned plenty of plaudits on her run to the Australian Open last eight.
But it will be Novak Djokovic’s words, more than anyone else’s, that will spur the 18-year-old on as she prepares for her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
“She definitely has all the tools to be a future champion and a future number one,” the 24-time major winner said before Jovic’s match against Aryna Sabalenka.
The teenager has enjoyed a stellar run in Melbourne, becoming the youngest American woman to reach the quarter-finals since 17-year-old Venus Williams in 1998.
But why has Jovic received such high praise from Djokovic? And how can she cause an upset against current world number one Sabalenka on Tuesday?
‘Beautiful energy’ – how Jovic burst on to the scene
Ranked 27th in the world, Jovic is playing her first Grand Slam as a seeded player.
Just 12 months ago, she was 191st in the rankings.
She won a first WTA Tour-level title at Guadalajara in Mexico during a breakthrough 2025 season, while she also won her first WTA 125 title at the Ilkley Open.
And she started 2026 on the front foot – reaching the semi-finals in Auckland before a run to the Hobart International final, where she lost to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
“She is like a shining light, she’s burst on to the scene, she’s risen up so quickly but she brings a sense of purpose every single time she hits the ball, and you just watch the intensity of the footwork and there’s purpose behind every single ball she’s hitting,” former British number one Annabel Croft told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Jovic has won 11 matches already this year – more than anyone else on the WTA Tour.
“This is such great news for women’s tennis and I’m so excited every time she steps on the court because she brings so much sunshine and so much light, a beautiful energy,” former world number five Daniela Hantuchova added.
“She is the ultimate professional, super disciplined and committed and her technique is unbelievable.”
Djokovic is also following her progress, with the 10-time Australian Open winner saying he feels “emotionally connected” to Jovic because of her family links to Serbia.
Jovic was born in California but her father is from Serbia, while her mother is Croatian.
“I got to know Iva last year for the first time, she’s so young, only 18 and she’s already making great strides in the rankings and some great results,” Djokovic said.
“I obviously really like her, she’s a great girl and really nice family. Obviously I feel more emotionally connected to her because of her Serbian background so I try even more [to help her].”
Australian Open Daily: History made as top seeds set up blockbuster quarter-finals
‘Suffocating opponents’ & ‘fear factor’ – how can Jovic beat Sabalenka?
Jovic has yet to drop a set en route to her maiden Slam quarter-final, while she claimed the first top-10 win of her career when she beat Jasmine Paolini in the third round.
The best showcase of her aggressive tennis, however, came against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, who won just one game in a chastening 53-minute encounter with the teenager.
Of the eight quarter-finalists, only Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina have spent less time on court than Jovic.
“She’s almost suffocating opponents when she’s out there, and there must be a fear factor because no-one wants to lose to an 18-year-old,” Croft said.
“She’s really taking the bull by the horns. I think she might cause a few problems in the next match and it’s going to be really interesting.”
However, top seed Sabalenka might prove to be a completely different challenge.
The Belarusian is a two-time winner in Melbourne, while she is on a nine-match unbeaten run this season having triumphed at the Brisbane International.
But Croft believes Jovic, who will be facing Sabalenka for the first time, can benefit from the element of surprise.
“I think she feels so free at the moment and this is such a great year for her, it’s almost like that honeymoon period where no-one has quite figured you out yet, you’re new and players don’t really know how to play you,” Croft said.
“She can play with so much freedom every time she steps on the court, with no pressure and not expected to win.”
BBC
