American teen phenom Iva Jovic swiftly announced herself on to the WTA professional tennis tour this year, reaching the semis at Auckland, New Zealand’s ASB Classic, the finals of the Hobart International in Tasmania, Australia and the quarterfinal at the Australian Open, becoming the youngest American to make the AO quarters since Venus Williams in 1998. Jovic hadn’t lost a set all tournament until she ran into the buzzsaw that is World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Jovic isn’t just another junior standout making a cameo; the 18-year-old Torrance, Calif. native already won her first singles title at the WTA 500 Guadalajara Open in September 2025 at age 17.
At the Credit One Charleston Open’s media day on March 30, Jovic spoke to the preparation involved in changing surfaces from hard courts to clay and expressed excitement at playing in her first Charleston tournament: “I’ve been working hard this past week after Miami to get used to the clay, it’s obviously a little different with the movement and everything – but I mean Charleston’s so beautiful and this tournament is amazing … Everyone has nice things to say, now I see what the hype is about. It’s a really great place.”
Mount Pleasant Magazine asked the rising star, currently sitting at a new career high ranking of No. 16 in the world, about her short-term goals for the 2026 season. Jovic’s response sounded more like that of an established tour veteran eschewing complacency than a fresh face navigating unfamiliar terrain.
“Recently I’ve had a lot of talks with myself and my team about ways I can maximize my training,” said Jovic, who currently lives and trains in Orlando, Fla. “I think it’s really about finding how I can get better, every single day. And it’s hard at these tournaments because there’s more people and it’s an hour on the court and it’s so much easier when you’re at home and you’re just on the court and you’re fully in practice mode. So I need to find a way to train through these events better and be working on things, not just ‘oh let me fine tune for the tournament.’ I really need to be working on things during tournaments because there’s just no more time for pure training blocks like there was back in the day.”
Jovic added, “So that’s something that I’ve been working on and I’ve been doing a great job this week with incorporating more things and you know, not being stubborn, right? I think tennis players are very stubborn and that can work with us and against us. I need to do a better job of putting that aside and focusing on what I need to work on, no matter how badly or well I’m playing, not just staying in the comfort zone.”
Although the precocious Jovic plays with a composed, all-court style beyond her age, there are certain aspects of her game she would like to see improve in the short-term as well. “Right now, a lot about my variety. A lot about mixing in some different plays,” she said. “Especially on the clay, it’s slower, you need to find different ways of getting people off the court. Maybe some slices, maybe some more angles, playing around with your serve a little bit more – different spins, different return positions. So just being a little more unpredictable is the main thing right now.”
It probably doesn’t hurt either that Jovic’s been taking notes and tips on routines and how to approach the game from legends of the sport such as Novak Djokovic, with whom she shares Serbian roots, and Andre Agassi. Jovic humbly admitted how she texts Djokovic directly for advice.
With her prodigious talent and commitment to developing and honing her skills and shot repertoire, Jovic is a player to watch in 2026 and beyond. As of this writing, Jovic had won her first ever match in Charleston, cruising past fellow American Alycia Parks in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
In her press conference after the win, Jovic was asked what she thought of Charleston and she reiterated her praise, noting that based on what she heard from fellow players she had high expectations. “But it’s definitely exceeded that.” Of its renowned culinary scene she added, “The food is really good, too.”
To follow COCO tournament results, visit creditonecharlestonopen.com/scores/.
By Colin McCandless
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