Who is Iva Jovic? Meet the 16-year-old tennis player who impressed in winning Round 1 of the 2024 US Open

Among the many surprises at the 2024 US Open on the women’s side is the tournament’s youngest participant. Newcomer Iva Jovic surprised Magda Linette in her Grand Slam debut on Tuesday, knocking the 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist out of the tournament in the first round.

The California native is the youngest American to win a women’s main draw match at Flushing Meadows since 2000. Jovic, the fifth-ranked junior in the world, secured her spot at the US Open after winning the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championship match earlier this month.

“Surprised, but not surprised,” said Jovic after his win against Linette. “I just had a plan of what I was going to do before we started and there weren’t that many crazy adjustments because it was going well,”

Here’s everything you need to know about Jovic, the young tennis player who impressed with her victory in Round 1 of the 2024 US Open.

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Who is Iva Jovic?

Jovic grew up in Torrance, California, where she played several other sports in addition to tennis, including soccer, gymnastics and swimming, but she always returned to her racquet, which she practiced with her older sister on the rooftop courts of the apartment complex where they lived.

She made her mark in junior tennis when she won the U14 singles at the Orange Bowl in December 2021. Jovic eventually teamed up with Tyra Caterina Grant, with whom she celebrated doubles victories at the Orange Bowl in 2022 and 2023. She also teamed up with Grant on Team USA at the 2023 Junior Billie Jean Cup, where the Americans won the tournament without dropping a set.

The dynamic duo of Jovic and Grant have had a hugely successful 2024 so far, winning the junior doubles titles at the Australian Open in January and Wimbledon in July, as well as reaching the final of the French Open in early summer.

Iva Jovic Age

The teenager was born on December 6, 2007, making her 16 years old. Jovic is still in high school and is taking online courses while competing. She will also compete in the US Open juniors later in the tournament.

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Iva Jovic results

Jovic not only beat the high-ranking Pole, but also defeated her convincingly. The 16-year-old didn’t even need a third set to win and dominated Linette with 15 unforced errors compared to 29.

Jovic won just over two-thirds of the points on both her first serve and net points, and also converted half of her break points. Linette, who is ranked 42nd in the WTA rankings, just couldn’t break the young player and was sent home much earlier than she expected.

Here’s a look at the match report from Jovic’s first round win.