Iva Jovic’s ‘Biggest Win’ of Australian Open Campaign was ‘Speaking to Novak Djokovic’ About Her Game

Iva Jovic produced her career’s best Grand Slam performance at the 2026 Australian Open. She made the quarterfinals, where she suffered defeat at the hands of eventual runner-up Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.

But for Jovic, the biggest win of her campaign in Melbourne was her conversation with Novak Djokovic. She revealed at the press conference that the 24-time Grand Slam champion gave her tips throughout her campaign in the tournament. Later during her interview with the Tennis Channel, Jovic said her goal is to be “as much as I can like Novak“.

I think that was the biggest win of the trip. It wasn’t the results or anything like that; it was speaking to Novak and hearing what he had to say and seeing how he goes about himself. Just watching him a little bit, not in a creepy way, but just observing the things he does. The amount of time he spends in the gym, working on himself. Everything is so structured. It is amazing that despite all of that, he still finds time to talk to the younger players like myself and he really wants to help.

Before this year, Jovic had never progressed beyond the second round of a Major, losing four times in the second round and once in the first round. So far in her career, the American ace has made two tour-level finals. She won the 2025 Guadalajara Open against Emiliana Arango and lost this year’s Hobart International final to Elisabetta Cocciaretto.

The 18-year-old also competed in doubles in the Major Down Under. She paired up with reigning Canadian Open champion Victoria Mboko. The pair made the second round, where eventual champions Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai knocked them out.

Jack Sock doesn’t think Novak Djokovic can reach another Grand Slam final this year

Novak Djokovic’s campaign at Melbourne Park ended on February 1, the day of the final. After surprising the tennis world by eliminating two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in five sets, the Serb couldn’t produce the same result when he played World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Djokovic squandered his one-set lead and eventually lost in four sets, helping Alcaraz improve his head-to-head record to 5-5. Nole made a Grand Slam final for the first time since his defeat to the 22-year-old in the 2024 Wimbledon final.

Because Djokovic has won the most in the first Major of the season (10 titles), many think he has the best chance to end his Grand Slam title drought here. But now that it’s done and dusted, Jack Sock doesn’t think Djokovic would reach another Major final at least this year.

I don’t know if a 39-year-old Novak will have the same juice at the French Open trying to grind out these sets against these young bucks, but obviously, when Wimbledon comes around, we know how much it means to him and everyone in sport. He will bring it, but I don’t think he’s making another final this year, in my opinion.

Jack Sock said on the Nothing Major podcast

In last year’s Wimbledon, Djokovic, for the first time since 2021, failed to reach the final. Sinner knocked him out in straight sets in the semifinals. If Djoker wins the title one more time at SW19, he will tie the tally with Roger Federer.

The last time he won the grass-court Major was in 2022 by defeating Nick Kyrgios, and in the following two seasons, Alcaraz beat him in the finals. Alcaraz’s win in Australia has made him the youngest man in the Open Era to reach the Career Grand Slam milestone.

Also read: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard Suffers a Bizarre Eye Injury Before Retiring at Montpellier 

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