Tournament organisers hope Jovic is following a similar pathway to Gauff, who first played in Auckland as a 15-year-old and won the title aged 18 in 2023 and again in 2024. Gauff is now ranked No 3 in the world, with two grand slam titles (French Open and US Open) to her credit.
Jovic is No 36 in the world following her success in Mexico. It’s been a steep climb, as she started the year outside the top 200. She is the youngest player in both the top 50 and top 100 and her presence will continue the trend of emerging global talent coming to Auckland.
“We are thrilled that Iva wants to play in the ASB Classic,” tournament director Nicolas Lamperin said.
“The tournament has a rich history in featuring tomorrow’s stars today. We pride ourselves that our care of players, the great atmosphere from fans and the acknowledged benefits in Auckland are all key factors.”
“People like Coco have been rich in praise for the place as the ideal starting point for her fast-rising career. We would like to think Iva is on a similar trajectory.”
Born and raised in California, Jovic won her first professional tournament on the ITF circuit in 2023.
She became the youngest American to win a women’s US Open main draw match on her debut in 2024, then got to the second round of the Australian Open and the French Open this year. Jovic won her first WTA 125 tournament at the Ilkley Open in the UK in June.
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.
