Iva Jovic Could Be America’s Next Teenage Tennis Winner

When a 16-year-old Iva Jovic made her Grand Slam debut at the U.S. Open last year, she came out the other side $140,000 richer after beating the world No. 42 Magda Linette. Back then, the American was ranked 389. Twelve months later, Jovic is now in the top 40 after claiming her first WTA Title at the Guadalajara Open.

The money meter for the victory over Emiliana Arango was £164,000. She smiled her way through the trophy presentation. It won’t be the last time she beams on finals day.

Jovic appears to be the latest teen star to break through in the 2025 season in a list that also includes Canadian Open winner Victoria Mboko, Alexandra Eala and Maya Joint. She became the youngest winner of a WTA title this campaign, beating Mirra Andreeva by a mere 16 days. This high school house party is filling up fast. Well, Mboko was 18 when she won in Montreal.

Jovic is of Croatian and Serbian descent, but is a Southern California native, taking part and winning in the junior Billie Jean King Cup in 2023 under the Stars and Stripes. Taking part and winning is something she does a lot. She becomes the youngest American to win a WTA title since Coco Gauff beat Wang Qiang in Parma four years ago. These things must work in cycles as the teenage army that broke through in 2021 included Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez and Clara Tauson.

Twelve months ago, she said she had never met with Novak Djokovic, but that issue was sorted at Wimbledon when coach Kathy Rinaldi took the initiative to walk her up to him on a practice court. Jovic could sense that the 24-time major champion had a presence. He told her to keep working.

The former junior world No. 2 isn’t afraid of hard work. She won a WTA 125 event at the Ilkley Open, but has embraced the grind on the ITF tour. There was never going to be a shortcut to success and she even crossed paths with Mboko at Berkeley in the ITF W35 final just after her Flushing Meadows debut, beating her in three sets. “She’s such a great young lady, so locked in, so mentally strong, and she wants it so badly,” Rinaldi said at the time. That much is definitely true.

When the call of the WTA came, she was fit and ready for the long-haul games and the extra scrutiny that comes with it. Her modus operandi is one that can embrace the pressure points. Only the heat prevented her from a dream meeting with Aryna Sabalenka in the third round in New York last year. Growing pains started early in 2023 with a fractured foot and ankle issues. Physicality is going to be tested, and she’s an impressive 35-13 for this season. There’s no substitute for playing and playing some more.

The close defeats have been almost as significant as the wins. She made the third round at Cincinnati, pummelling Linda Noskova, before losing in three sets to Barbora Krejcikova. She also took Jasmine Paolini all the way at Indian Wells before losing to the Italian in this year’s U.S. Open.

Her victory at the U14 singles event at the Orange Bowl in 2021 was followed by junior doubles titles at Melbourne and Wimbledon in 2024. Jovic knows what the court looks like from all angles.

She used to play football and likes to skateboard. That kind of dexterity is apparent in the footwork, one of those features that can swing matches when the going gets tough. Not everyone can move to the tune of the ball.

“Mirra Andreeva is going to be number one in the world at some point,” Andy Roddick said on his Served podcast after the teenager won the Dubai ATP 1000. He may be right, but Jovic is also clocking up the wins. She’s claimed a 500 event, and it won’t be long before she doubles up too. The China Open next week is on her to-do list.