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.”
