Iva Jovic: Tennis Star Fueled by Immigrant Parents' Grit

Iva Jovic, an 18-year-old American tennis player, has advanced to the fourth round of the 2026 US Open. Her success is profoundly linked to her parents' story of immigration and perseverance. Bojan Jovic, from Serbia, and Jelena Jovic, from Croatia, relocated to the United States in the early 2000s.

Facing the challenge of requalifying their pharmacy degrees, the couple worked tirelessly, even in supermarket cashier roles, to establish their careers in a new country. This period of struggle instilled in Iva a deep understanding of the value of hard work and opportunity.

Jovic's competitive drive was also honed through intense childhood practice matches with her older sister, Mia. This early determination, combined with the resilience modeled by her parents, fuels her composed yet aggressive style on court.

Her breakthrough at the 2024 US Open, where she became the youngest American woman to win a main-draw match since 2000, foreshadowed her continued success. In 2026, she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open, followed by third-round appearances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and now the fourth round at the US Open.