You would expect a maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal to be overwhelming for a young player like Iva Jovic. And learning that you’ll be up against the top seed and two-time tournament champion Aryna Sabalenka? Doubly so.
But for the 18-year-old Jovic it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
MORE: All the scores from AO 2026
“I'm in the [quarterfinals], which is amazing for me,” Jovic had said ahead of Tuesday’s match. “You're going to play one of the best players at this stage of the tournament. That's what you want. I'm just trusting the level that I have been able to put out, and hopefully that will be enough.”
READ: Sabalenka sweeps aside Jovic to advance to AO 2026 semifinals
Jovic’s positive mindset is the foundation of what makes a top-10 player. And with the American’s slingshot rise up the rankings during a breakout 2025 season, where she has risen 164 places since AO 2025, it will be a surprise to few if she cracks that top-10 tier from her current No.27 ranking in the 2026 season.
Jovic and Sabalenka met for the first time to get Tuesday’s play underway at Rod Laver Arena. With a 6-3 6-0 victory, Sabalenka maintained her winning streak to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open semifinal.
Jovic fought fire with fire in the first set, stretching it to almost an hour and driving Sabalenka to need three set points. The American’s service game continues to be one of her strengths; the first set included a stinging ace and she took 65 per cent of her first serve points. Overall, Jovic committed just one double fault throughout the match, a tribute to how tidy her service game can be.
“I think that I went into the match obviously not knowing too much about how it was going to look like in person, having not really hit with her in the past,” Jovic said.
“[It was] our first meeting, as well. I think she brought, a great level. That's what you would expect, considering all her amazing achievements. I tried to just bring that middle ground, and I think I have to be able to adapt to the game and what's necessary for different play styles. I wasn't able to do that today.”
The world No.27 may have lost Tuesday’s quarterfinal, but in her relatively short time on the tour, reaching this stage at a Grand Slam can be considered nothing less than a win. The 18-year-old is the youngest player to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007, and the youngest to do so without dropping a set since Venus Williams in 1998. Those are important credentials.
“Incredible player, it was a tough match,” a breathless Sabalenka said of her teenage opponent following the quarterfinal clash. “She played incredible tennis. Pushed me to [take] one step [to a] better level… it was a tough battle.”
A tough battle indeed, but Jovic, ever the optimist, is choosing to view her match with Sabalenka as a learning experience. Already, she has been in deep discussion with her coach Thomas Gutteridge about what she can work on when she returns home to Los Angeles.
“I think that when you play players like Aryna, who are obviously very powerful and hit a big ball and don't let you really get into the match from the beginning, you have to accept that and adjust to that tempo of points, because you can't really choose how it's going to play,” Jovic said.
“You have to accept that it's going to be quick-fire, and it's going to be short. Then you have to match that extreme almost. I was just trying to drift a little bit in the middle. So that obviously doesn't work.
“Now I know for next time, so hopefully I can change things. But, you know, there's always next time, which is nice.”
As for the rest of Jovic’s season, which began with a trip to the final in Hobart in the lead-in to 2026, the young player – who has already achieved so much in such a short time – will be one to watch.
“It's the quarterfinals, but ultimately I hope to be in many quarterfinals. So I don't think that this win or loss today is going to make or break my career really,” Jovic said.
“It was a tough one, and I think Aryna played very well. I could have done some things differently, but that's tennis. I think it's amazing what she's done for herself in her career. It's very inspiring.
“I hope to get more chances to play against her, and … hopefully I can get some more chances to get her back.”