MELBOURNE – Iva Jovic got one of the best coaches in the world without having to pay a penny. ‘I spoke a little with Novak (Djokovic) yesterday. He gave me some very precise advice about my game,’ said the 18-year-old American.
The words of the 24-time Grand Slam champion had an effect. Jovic defeated Jasmine Paolini, ranked eighth in the world, 6-2, 7-6(7-3) to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open, her best result in a Grand Slam tournament.
‘It was one of the things I kept in mind today, because when Novak gives you advice, you follow it,’ added the 27th-ranked player.
The American with Serbian roots is clear that she will continue to accept the advice of the former world number one: ‘He simply told me to open up the court a little more. Not to rush my shots so much and to look for more width. I tried to do that and it worked, so I’m going to keep listening to him.’
The bond, strengthened by their shared roots, has been there for some time.
At the end of 2025, in an interview with CLAY, Jovic confirmed that she had met Djokovic and even had questions written down on her mobile phone to ask him when they met: “I wrote them down because when the time comes to talk, I know I’ll go blank… how he reacts after a defeat, what goes through his mind. I also want to ask him about meditation, breathing techniques and things like that. Mental issues; we all know he’s a master at that.‘
Three months after that interview, the relationship seems much deeper. ’He’s even kinder and more attentive off camera than he seems. He’s very intelligent, very smart and really wants to help the younger generation. I’m very grateful to have received his advice. I hope I can talk to him more and continue to listen to his advice,” she explained at a press conference, before answering questions from Serbian journalists in Serbian.
With or without Djokovic’s advice, 2026 is turning out to be a dream season for the youngest player in the Top 100. Before Melbourne, she reached the semi-finals in Adelaide and the final in Hobart.
If she beats Yulia Putintseva in the round of 16 at the Australian Open, she will enter the WTA Top 20. ‘Hopefully I can keep things simple and not let the crowd and all that atmosphere affect me too much. I hope I can play the best tennis possible out there,’ she said.
The match is being played this Sunday, and in a parallel universe, Djokovic will be in one of the corners.
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