This teen just had the biggest win of her career. Next up, the world No.1

1 month ago 20

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A year ago teenage sensation Iva Jovic dreamed of taking on world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Now – after a giant-killing third round win followed by a crushing fourth round demolition – the 18-year-old American has more than earned her dream match-up in an Australian Open quarter-final.

Iva Jovic is through to the Australian Open quarter-finals.

In her sixth grand slam and first as a seeded player, Jovic was in complete control from the outset of her round four clash with Russian-born Kazakhstani player Yulia Putintseva at John Cain Arena on Sunday.

The 29th seeded Californian hit 17 winners to four during the 53-minute, 6-0, 6-1 demolition, in which Putintseva only got on the scoreboard in the fifth game of the second set.

It came two days after Jovic dispatched seventh seed and Wimbledon and Roland-Garros finalist Jasmine Paolini in straight sets to continue her deepest grand slam run.

Having earned a wildcard to play at the 2025 Australian Open as a 17-year-old – where she made the second round before running into Elena Rybakina – Jovic said she had returned this year wanting to take on the best.

“I think I’m just gonna try to keep taking care of my side of the net. Obviously, she’s [Sabalenka] No.1 for a reason and [has] had so much success at this tournament,” Jovic said.

“But that’s what I want. I said it last year; I hope to be able to play her this year ’cause you definitely want to play the best and see how it goes.”

Days after becoming the tournament’s pantomime villain, Putintseva went from “crumping” to crumbling under the pressure of Jovic’s aggressive forehands, which contributed to 15 forced errors.

After defeating Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez in front of a hostile crowd on Friday, Putintseva celebrated by cupping her ear to the crowd, blowing kisses, and performing a dance on the court to the spectators’ jeers. But on Sunday Jovic’s control didn’t allow for any drama, and the biggest cheer came after the fifth game of the second set when Putintseva finally broke through to hit the scoreboard.

“I’m really glad to get through,” Jovic said. “Obviously, the scoreline is favourable, but it doesn’t matter how you get it done. I just wanted to get it done, and I felt like if I let her come back a little bit, it would become a dogfight. So, I just tried to keep it as far away as possible and [I’m] just so happy to be in the finals.”

Jovic’s next opponent, Sabalenka, had a tricky but straight sets victory over Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko.

Sabalenka blitzed through the first set 6-1 and looked likely to have the match wrapped-up within an hour, after taking a 4-1 lead in the second set.

But Mboko came back firing, and saved three match points when Sabalenka was serving for the match to send the second set to a tie-break.

The roar of victory from Aryna Sabalenka.

Unfortunately for Mboko, Sabalenka had won 19 consecutive tie-breaks in grand slam matches, starting back at Roland-Garros in 2023, and stormed home to win the second set 7-6 (7-1).

“What an incredible player for such a young age. It’s incredible to see these kids coming up on tour,” she said.

“I can’t believe I say that, I feel like I’m a kid still. Incredible player, pushed me really hard today. Super happy with the win, once again in straight sets, she played incredible tennis, she pushed me so much, and happy to be through.”

Speaking on her incredible tie-break record – now 20 in a row at grand slam level – Sabalenka said the buzz around her record put pressure on her opponents.

“I just go into the tie-breaks, I try not to think that this is a tie-break, play point-by-point, and I guess that’s the key to this consistency.”

Third seed Coco Gauff took three sets, four match points and almost two hours to overcome 18th seed Karolina Muchova to move through to the quarter-finals, celebrating with a fist pump and triumphant yell to the crowd.

After finally sealing her 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win on her fourth match point, an emotional Gauff said her fitness stood her in good stead for three-setters.

“I don’t get tired yet. I’m 21. Maybe that’s why,” Gauff said.

The American will play the winner of eighth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva and 12th seed Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, whose round four clash will close Sunday night’s play.