ITF Class of 2024: Iva Jovic
The ITF’s ‘Class of…’ series recognises players who have had a successful year on the ITF World Tennis Tour. It identifies the most promising breakthrough talents and those predicted to go on to bigger things.
This year’s group was decided by a panel of experts. Ashley Keber (WTA), James Marsalek (ATP), Mark Woodforde (ITF), Mary Pierce (ITF) and Nao Kawatei (ITF) voted on a shortlist of 14 players.
Next up is Iva Jovic of the United States, who in 2024 claimed career-best ITF World Tennis Tour titles and also made her presence felt st September's US Open.
When we talk about the ITF player pathway, it is often through the prism of a player’s on-court development when an individual’s off-court evolution is just as fascinating to witness.
Los Angeles-born Iva Jovic first came to the attention of most casual junior tennis observers when she was a member of the United States team that lifted silverware at the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Juniors Finals.
Her exploits and those of her teammates, Clervie Ngounoue and Valerie Glozman, were captured on camera as the ITF produced a behind-the-scenes video documenting USA’s silverware bid in Antalya, Turkiye.
Jovic was only 14 at the time but was comfortable in front of the camera. However, fast forward a couple of years and the teenager now answers media questions like a seasoned pro – and her tennis stock has seemingly risen hand-in-hand with her personal development.
The 17-year-old has enjoyed an extremely promising year on the ITF World Tennis Tour, winning back-to-back events during a highly profitable September and October. She won titles at W35 Berkeley and W75 Rancho Santa Fe, building on her triumph at W25 Redding in October 2023.
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Another noteworthy moment came at September’s US Open when, as a wild card on her Grand Slam debut, Jovic beat world No. 42 Magda Linette of Poland to record her maiden victory against a Top 50 opponent.
Jovic then reached the final at W100 Tyler in October where she succumbed to Mexico's Renata Zarazua – one of three finals she lost in 2024. The fact the latter of these finals was a W100 – the highest classification of event on the ITF World Tennis Tour – in itself shows her rate of progression.
“The ITF World Tennis Tour events have helped me tremendously,” said Jovic, who broke the Top 200 in November and now sits at a career-high No. 194 in the WTA Rankings.
“It is really great to build matches against top-level pros, but players who are not Top 10 or Top 20 in the world when you’re not sure you can hang.
“It’s nice to start there, build and get confidence. I ended up playing the US Open and you feel you can play those big events and feel secure that you can play against those players after having the results and match count on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
“Two months ago, I won Berkeley and then Rancho Santa Fe back-to-back and it was really cool with all my friends and everyone from USTA was there supporting me. They were also really well-run events and that was probably my favourite time of the season.”
Dream debut for Iva Jovic 🙌 The 16-year-old American defeats Linette in two ✌️ pic.twitter.com/0axmzZe7t8
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2024
Jovic’s exposure to professional events and success on the ITF World Tennis Tour Women’s this season has been interspersed with her continued participation at junior events, for which she remains eligible.
She competed at all four Junior Grand Slams, reaching the semi-finals in singles at the Junior Championships, Wimbledon and the US Open Junior Championships and the quarters at the Roland Garros Junior Championships.
Indeed, Jovic contested nine ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors singles events in 2024 and reached at least the quarter-finals in all bar one, while her sole junior triumph arrived in March at J300 San Diego.
Proving her versatility, the Californian also scooped three doubles titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors in 2024, topping the girls' doubles podium at the Australian Open and Wimbledon alongside fellow American Tyra Grant.
“The ITF World Tennis Tour has been a huge help to Iva,” said Tom Gutteridge, Jovic’s coach. “The biggest difference between the juniors and the ITF World Tennis Tour has been the physicality of the players.
“Iva has learnt a lot of different things – shot selection, the level of fitness she needs, physicality, weight of shot. She has learned about all these things by playing different opponents. She has been shown what she needs to do to reach the next level.”
Jovic deservedly takes her place within the ITF's 'Class of 2024'.