“She never played on a field court again”: Lindsay Davenport draws parallels between Jovic and Keys’ career-changing run

Former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport compared the great campaign of Iva Jovic this week with the breakthrough of Madison Keys more than 10 years ago – also at the Australian Open – when she had her first big run in a Grand Slam tournament at 19 years old.

On that occasion, Keys already had a couple of seasons at the top level, after entering the top 40 for the first time in 2013, at 18 years old. By the beginning of 2014, she already had several appearances and victories in the main draw of Grand Slams – in addition to a WTA 500–level title at the Eastbourne International – but she had still not made a deep run at a major tournament.

It was at the Australian Open 2015 that Keys had her first deep run in a major, defeating along the way rivals such as multi–Grand Slam champions Petra Kvitova (4th) and Venus Williams (18th). Keys reached the semifinals, falling to eventual champion Serena Williams in straight sets.

At the start of the tournament, Keys had to play on some of the alternative courts at Melbourne Park, but as the days went by she became a protagonist on the main stadiums – including Rod Laver Arena. After that came Keys’ first appearance inside the top 20 and her definitive breakthrough as a Slam contender over the following years.

While the fourth-round matches of the Australian Open are being played, one of the names that has drawn attention is 29th seed Iva Jovic, an 18-year-old player who reached the Round of 16 at a major for the first time, and who is only making her second appearance at the Aussie Open.

“I was thinking about Madison Keys’ great run here in 2015. She came here as a teenager,” commented Lindsay Davenport in the Tennis Channel television studio. “She started that campaign out on a field court in her very first round. That tournament would really change her life. She’d end up getting to the semifinals and never play on a field court again, up until this point.”

Jovic began the week on Court 13 against Katie Volynets, and then became a protagonist on Rod Laver Arena against local player Priscilla Hon, while in the third round she defeated world No. 7 Jasmine Paolini at John Cain Arena. The three-time Grand Slam champion Davenport outlined some parallels between Jovic’s campaign and the campaign of Keys.

“I just get the sense that Iva Jovic is on that same trajectory. She started her Australian Open campaign this year out on Court 13 against American Katie Volynets on an outside court. Jovic was able to get through that one in straight sets,” Davenport stated. “She’s going to play a Round of 16 match today. She’s just 18 years old. She’s on her way into the top 20, oh so close to breaking into it.”

“A really big chance for her today to get through to the quarterfinals of a major for the first time. I just don’t have a feeling we’re going to see her on a field court again. She is a superstar,” Davenport added regarding the teenager. “Her game, her work ethic, everything about her tells me that she’s going to be on the main show courts from here on out.”

At the moment, Jovic is positioned as world No. 23 in the live rankings – a rise of four places by comparison. As of the latest update, she is one of the three players under 19 years old inside the top 100 – along with Mirra Andreeva and Tereza Valentová, although Jovic is the youngest of them by a difference of a few months.

She will face experienced Yulia Putintseva – 31 years old – in the fourth round, coming off victories against opponents such as Beatriz Haddad Maia and Zeynep Sönmez. If Jovic manages to secure the win, she will guarantee her first-ever entry into the WTA top 20 once the tournament is completed.