AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2026

Iva Jovic

Press Conference

I. JOVIC/Y. Putintseva

6-0, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Iva, it's been a big day. How does it feel to be through to your first Grand Slam quarterfinal?

IVA JOVIC: It feels great. I definitely exceeded my hopes and expectations for this tournament, so hopefully I can keep the winning going.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What was the process like after having such a big win over Paolini to reset and refocus? That was arguably one of your biggest wins ever to come back and play as well as you did today.

IVA JOVIC: Yeah, it's difficult, especially at a slam. There is a lot of people and a lot of things outside the tennis with all the media and the fans and everything. So it's kind of hard to get back down-to-earth.

I think I just tried to focus on the next match and reset as best as I could, knowing that there is still a lot more work to be done. So I'm glad that I was able to kind of get back to a neutral playing field and just get ready to play my best today.

Q. It's been really impressive to see how you have played this whole tournament, on the front foot, attacking, being inside the baseline, taking the ball early. How did that start in your game? What is the origin of your playing style? Who taught you how to play that way?

IVA JOVIC: Yeah, I would say mostly my dad was the first one. He kind of taught me the style of tennis that he wanted me to play.

He's not, you know, a formal coach or anything, per se, but I think he drilled the right mentality in me and just playing with good intentions, which I think is what gets success in the long run. So I'm grateful for my day for that (smiling).

Q. Do you feel like you're playing with sort of house money, or is the pressure increasing as you get deeper in the tournament? How is this experience for you, winning?

IVA JOVIC: For me, honestly not. I don't really feel like there is a lot of house money or underdog mentality that I'm feeling, because I don't feel like I have been playing anything outside of my comfort zone or outside of my normal level.

I have come from two other tournaments where I was playing every day and winning a lot of matches, as well. So this week and the level that I'm showing right now doesn't really feel much different than that.

So it's just another week that I'm winning more matches, which is nice to see.

Yeah, I think I have improved a lot throughout the offseason, and this is just the level that I feel like I've gotten my base level a bit higher. Hopefully I can just maintain that every day.

Q. You played a long doubles match today. How are you feeling? How much was playing a two-and-a-half hour match part of the plan?

IVA JOVIC: Yeah, I mean, me and Vicky signed up for this doubles for fun. We went to the first match, and we were not sure if there was ads. So we were asking the ref, Do we play ads? What's going on here?

Then we realized there were ads, and I didn't realize until today that there was a third set. So I was, like, Oh, my God, what? This is going to be three times longer than my singles match. Then it went 6 in the third.

But at that point, I was like, all right. I don't know if you guys saw it, but one of the most unbelievable doubles matches I've ever played. It was outrageous. The crowd was going crazy. There were so many long points.

It was a lot of fun. My soul is a little hurt that we lost that one, because it got so close, and I wanted that win.

So it's weird to be talking about singles right now. After playing that, my mind is on doubles, but it was fun. I'm glad to be in the singles, and me and Vicky had a lot of fun.

Q. Next up, Aryna. How do you feel about that? We saw Vicky today take her to a tiebreak in the second set. Is there anything you can take from that, as well?

IVA JOVIC: I didn't see a ton of that match, because I was kind of warming up and getting ready for my own at the time. I'll definitely have to do some research. Not that there's a lot of secrets with her being No. 1 and all. There is a lot of video and opportunity to see what she does.

So yeah, I'm just excited. You know, I'm in the quarters, which is amazing for me. So, you know, you're going to play one of the best players at this stage of the tournament. That's what you want.

I'm just, you know, trusting the level that I have been able to put out, and hopefully that will be enough (smiling).

Q. If you could cast your mind back 12 months to the match you played against Rybakina, which I think was on the John Cain Arena, how different a player do you feel to the one just 12 months ago? In what ways do you feel particularly different?

IVA JOVIC: Yeah, I think I have improved a lot and evolved a lot as a player and a person since that point.

I kind of got my butt kicked a little bit there, and it was a bit of a slap in the face. But I think I have done a good job of just taking all those losses into positives and being able to learn from them. So I feel like I've gotten physically a lot fitter, a lot stronger, and my game has a lot more versatility now, I think.

I have my coach, Tom, to thank for that. He's done such a great job in guiding me, and the physio group, Integralis, that I have been working with has been getting me physically so much stronger.

I just have a great team around me, which helps a lot to keep getting better.

Q. You mentioned your dad. I know he was with you probably most of last year on tour. How much communication have you had with him since he's back home this time. What are your messages for him as you have this big result an ocean away?

IVA JOVIC: Yeah, I think he's one of my biggest supporters. He just believes in me a lot. So he always thinks I can win, no matter who I'm playing against or how big the match is.

I'm super lucky to have a family that doesn't just only look at me as a tennis player, but just wants me to be happy. That's their ultimate goal. They want me to play tennis because I like it, not because they want me to be this big star.

So I'm really grateful for them, and he has to go work. Work comes first, so he went back home. But he was here for my first match, and he was in Hobart the previous week.

Q. It's your first time this deep in a major. I'm just wondering what you have learned about yourself this week or these last days from this new experience?

IVA JOVIC: Yeah, I think it's great. I think I have just learned that I'm very resilient, and I have just learned to trust myself and all the work that I have put in.

I have had good results obviously, and I have been doing quite well, even last year, but obviously the slams are where you want to do well. Being here in a slam just gives me belief that I can be at the, you know, highest level of tennis, and hopefully be consistently having these results.