Iva Jovic makes another winning impression at the Australian Open! The 18-year-old starlet is the youngest player in the Top 100 and is in her R3 at Melbourne Park. So far, she’s shown some real promise, taking down Katie Volynets and Priscilla Hon in the early rounds. Now, taking on Jasmine Paolini, she delivered some exceptional shots. However, the tables turned as her opponent began to struggle on court. Ultimately, it all goes Jovic’s way as she marks a new milestone in her career.

On Friday, it was a dramatic clash for their place in the fourth round. But during the changeover after the seventh game, the Italian called for the physio. Paolini was reportedly dealing with stomach issues, for which she took a pill, and admitted she hadn’t felt well even before the match. Jovic then wrapped up the set 6-2, and won the match, 6-2, 7-6(3). The win sent the No.29 seed into the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time in just her sixth appearance.

“It feels amazing,” Iva Jovic said in the on-court interview, “I’ve been wanting this for a while now. I’ve been working really hard for it. Had a couple tough losses. I’m just so happy to get through that barrier and get the win today.”

Additionally, it marked her maiden victory over a top-10 opponent after four attempts. Two of her previous three defeats had come at the hands of Paolini, at Indian Wells and the US Open last season. But now, she’s heading into deeper waters!

Even the Italian was left impressed despite the loss. After the match, Jasmine Paolini spoke to the press about her thoughts on Iva’s skills.

“She’s very tough opponent already – very mature on court, not many mistakes,” she said. “She’s playing good every shot, basically. So I think she has a really bright future ahead.”

So far, it’s all going her way right now. Excitingly, there’s more to what helped the young starlet win over the seventh seed.

Iva Jovic gets advice from a Serbian legend

Ahead of the match, it seems Novak Djokovic had a quick pre-match chat with Iva Jovic, and it clearly left a mark. The 24-time Grand Slam legend shared a few words of wisdom with the young Californian, and she took every bit of it to heart.

“I spoke to Novak yesterday a little bit,” she said. “So it was pretty incredible. He gave me some very attentive tips for my game and something I can try to incorporate into this match that I just played. So that was one of the things in the forefront of my mind, because I think when Novak gives you some advice, you follow it,” she added with a smile.

Jovic may be California-born, but her roots run deep in the Balkans. Her father, Bojan, is Serbian, and her mother, Jelena, is Croatian. Her older sister Mia competes at UCLA, and Iva visits Serbia every year, splitting time between Belgrade and Leskovac to see her extended family. Meeting one of Serbia’s greatest athletes still feels a bit unreal to her.

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“You always think about those moments where you’re going to meet your idols a little bit… It was amazing. He’s so intelligent and smart and really wants to help the younger generation. So I’m really grateful to have that advice.”

Nole’s input seemed to spark something. Jovic came out flying, charging side to side through a 37-minute first set that left Jasmine Paolini scrambling. The aggressive start forced 13 unforced errors and just four winners from the Italian. Paolini fought back harder in the second, but Jovic held her nerve and sealed the win in style.

Now, moving into round 4, Iva Jovic will face Yulia Putintseva. Will she use more of Nole’s tactics and her grit to make it into the quarterfinals? We’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!