The 'future number one' facing Sabalenka - who is teenager Jovic?
Novak Djokovic says Iva Jovic has "all the tools" to be world number one - but who is the 18-year-old who will face Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open quarter-finals?
www.bbc.comHere are the latest publicly reported updates on Iva Jovic as of May 2026:
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Australian Open run: Iva Jovic reached the Australian Open quarterfinals in January 2026, where she was defeated by Aryna Sabalenka. She had received mentorship from Novak Djokovic during the event, which accompanied her rapid rise that year.[1]
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Early 2026 form and rankings: Reports in January 2026 highlighted Jovic’s strong start to the season, with observers noting her progression into the top 30 (approaching the top 20) and her recent success in warm-up events and Melbourne rounds ahead of the main draws.[3][4]
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Off-season improvements: Coverage in January 2026 credited a focused off-season program that aimed to make Jovic stronger, faster, and quicker, contributing to her notable results early in the year and solid momentum into the Australian Open.[3]
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Profile and career trajectory: Jovic’s rise has been widely documented, including a note that she became the youngest American to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open since Venus Williams in 1998, and later achieving a top-20 ranking in early 2026 as she continued to climb the rankings.[2]
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Ongoing coverage: Ongoing media coverage throughout early 2026 has tracked her progress, with outlets including Tennis.com and BBC profiling her development, performance, and potential as a rising star in women’s tennis.[8][3]
If you’d like, I can pull the most recent articles from today or summarize developments by tournament (Australian Open, Hobart, Miami, etc.) and provide a quick biographical snapshot. I can also set up a brief timeline of her key results in 2025–2026 with sources. Would you like that?
Citations:
- Latest Australian Open coverage and Djokovic mentorship
- Profile and 2026 rankings context
- Off-season improvements and Melbourne results
- Player stats and background
- BBC profile piece on Jovic’s potential