"Listen, everyone's welcome, this is not a clique": Iva Jovic always open to making new friends on tour amid Alexandra Eala bond
WTATuesday, 30 June 2026 at 01:30
Iva Jovic took down Jaqueline Cristian 7-6, 6-0 and the 18-year-old American has risen to the occasion at Wimbledon to set up a clash with Tatjana Maria in the second round.
Jovic has now won matches at every single Grand Slam at such a young age and the poised Los Angeles based star who has achieved a high ranking of World No.16 is taking it in her stride.
"It means a lot. I didn't even think of that as a statistic, honestly, but now I can say it, and I can say that I've done it at 18. So I'm happy to have that under my belt, and hopefully I can win some more," said Jovic on Tennis Channel.
The 18-year-old American doesn't have a lot of experience on the surface as a player who has barely played on it. She saw off Jaqueline Cristian including a 7-1 tie-break win. She has suffered an ankle injury as of late at Queen's but seemed to be ok.
"I think it's just the way the surface rewards playing quickly, changing direction a lot and returning early. Those are things that I like to do on all surfaces in general, but grass is where you're benefited the most from doing those things.
"So it comes naturally for me in some ways, but obviously it's foreign for a lot of people, so there's definitely some getting used to it.
"I think towards the end of the first set, even in the last return game when I didn't break her, I was finding my returns much better and getting cleaner strikes on the ball.
"Once I found that feeling and started hitting the ball much cleaner, I was rolling. That's how it is sometimes. It takes a little bit of time to get used to the pace or whatever it is on grass.
"As long as you're holding your serve and taking care of that side, you give yourself a chance to snag the tie-break and then take care of the second set."
Coach lauds temperament
Her coach Tom Gutteridge who has been with Jovic since her rise didn't laud her game. But in fact her temperament and how she conducts herself. "Wow. Thanks, Tom. I appreciate that. I wasn't expecting that. But I think so. I think I do a good job of competing really hard, and that's what I love the most. I love competition. Being out there makes me feel alive.
"Win or lose, I hate losing but it still gives you those emotions. I think we all live for it. I do my best to compete really hard and just leave it all out there."
But while she isn't that familiar with grass, she grew up watching it including Djokovic, Sharapova and Serena Williams. "It goes back to when I was so little. I remember watching Novak in a lot of finals here, Roger in a lot of finals here, Serena obviously in a lot of finals here.
Iva Jovic on the grass of Bad Homburg.
"I also remember the Sharapova and Serena final. I remember that one distinctly. I think I was incredibly young when that happened. There have just been so many amazing finals that I've watched here. Those are my first memories, watching Wimbledon as a kid."
But also while she has lauded Novak Djokovic in particular in the past, she also has an unexpected hero she now knows well. Belinda Bencic. "Well, now I've actually gotten to know her a little bit. I've practised with her a few times, and she's so nice—one of the nicest people on tour. So I like her a lot.
"But growing up, watching her play, a lot of coaches, and I agree said that we play quite similarly in a lot of ways. People would tell me to watch her and try to model some things after her game. So I watched a lot of her matches when I started taking tennis more seriously. I tried to see what she does well and do it myself."
Tennis friends not a clique - Jovic
It has often been said that tennis players can't be friends with each other but Jovic is part of a new generation that shows you can. The American is now well known to be close friends with Alexandra Eala, Zeynep Sonmez, Victoria Mboko, Eva Lys and has also been pictured with Paula Badosa this week.
She said that in reality everyone is welcome and that they are not a clique. "Listen, everyone's welcome. This is not a clique. We're not about drama. Everyone who's sweet and wants to have a good time is welcome. Honestly, it's not too serious.
"Obviously we're all competing on the court, but we also want to have friends. It's not like we know people in every city around the world that we travel to. I want to be friends with the girls that I know on tour, and we want to do fun things away from the court. I think that's what it's about."
But asked how she thrives against one of her best friends, she doesn't particularly have the answers. "Oh my gosh, I don't know. I actually played quite well both times that I played against her.
"I hear we're doing something together at the US Open, a little exhibition, so we're going to see each other there as well. I don't think it has anything to do with us being friends or not. I just managed the situation well. It doesn't really affect me that much.
"I want her to win every single match she plays, but when we play against each other, we're just competing. It's the same for her. That's just how it is."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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