Iva Jovic: The New American Tennis Sensation
Iva Jovic, a 16-year-old tennis prodigy from Torrance, California, has taken the tennis world by storm. Born to Serbian and Croatian parents, Bojan and Jelena, who immigrated to the United States before she was born, Iva’s journey to tennis stardom is both inspiring and impressive.
From a young age, Iva showed a natural talent for sports, dabbling in football, gymnastics, and swimming. However, it was tennis that captured her heart. Playing alongside her older sister Mia on the rooftop of their apartment complex, Iva honed her skills and developed a fierce competitive spirit. The COVID-19 pandemic further solidified her commitment to the sport, as the rooftop tennis court became her sanctuary and training ground.
Iva’s junior career is nothing short of remarkable. She first gained attention by winning the U14 singles event at the prestigious Orange Bowl in 2021. Her success continued as she claimed doubles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, partnering with Tyla Caterina Grant. These victories, along with her strong performances in other junior Grand Slam events, established her as one of the brightest young talents in American tennis.
In 2022, Iva made her professional debut at the SoCal Pro Circuit Jack Kramer Club event in Los Angeles, reaching the final. Her breakthrough came in October 2023 when she won her first career title at the $25k Ascension Project Women’s Open in Redding, California. This victory marked the beginning of her ascent in the professional ranks.
Iva’s most significant achievement to date came at the 2024 US Open. As the youngest player in the women’s draw, she faced a daunting first-round match against Magda Linette, a seasoned player and former Australian Open semi-finalist. Undeterred, Iva delivered a stunning performance, defeating Linette 6-4, 6-3. This victory not only showcased her immense talent but also made her the youngest American woman to win a main-draw match at the US Open in 24 years.
Despite her rapid rise, Iva remains grounded and focused on her goals. She draws inspiration from her parents’ hard work and perseverance, as well as from tennis legends like Novak Djokovic and Belinda Bencic. With her impressive skills, determination, and a supportive family, Iva Jovic is poised to become a dominant force in the world of tennis.
As she continues to make waves on the professional circuit, tennis enthusiasts around the globe eagerly await the next chapter in Iva Jovic’s promising career.
Jovic at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2024
LWWWWLWWWW At the moment ranked no.389, the American has a 14-6 match record in 2024. Jovic is now playing at the U.S. Open where she toppled the world no.42 Magda Linette 6-4 6-3.
Iva Jovic will come up against the world no.31 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the 2nd round on Wednesday at 2:00 pm on Court 12. They have never competed against each other so far on the main tour.
Iva was the finalist in the W35 Spring and in the W75 Zephyrhills.
