I was leading a seminar this morning and I admit that I asked the participants to take a break so I could watch the last few minutes of Alex Eala’s US Open match.
Well, technically, I was watching the score on the side while the seminar participants worked in their groups.
And from what I was seeing, it felt like Alex had turned the match around in her favor.
Then came the final few points.
Alex put the ball in the net.
I groaned so loud in disappointment.
“Haaay. Talo. Sayang.”
Alex lost to 18-year-old American Iva Jovic, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, after more than three hours of tennis.
But after the initial disappointment wore off, I found myself asking:
Why is this teenage girl so good?
So I did a little digging.
And Eala fans, here are five things I learned about Iva Jovic that made me appreciate what Alex was up against.
1. Iva started playing tennis at 5, but didn’t seriously commit to it until she was 12.
This surprised me. Jovic first picked up a tennis racket when she was 5, but tennis was just one of several sports she played growing up. She also played soccer and swam.
It wasn’t until the COVID pandemic, when she was 12, that she decided to focus seriously on tennis.
By 14 and 15, she was already making deep runs in national tournaments. She has even described becoming “a little bit addicted to winning.”
Imagine discovering your sport at 12 and, just six years later, finding yourself in the fourth round of the US Open.
That’s crazy good!
2. She’s the daughter of Serbian and Croatian immigrants.
Jovic was born and raised in Torrance, California.
Her father, Bojan, is Serbian and her mother, Jelena, is Croatian. Both are pharmacists who immigrated to the United States in the early 2000s.
Her parents made sure Iva and her older sister Mia grew up speaking Serbian and remained connected to their Balkan roots.
And there’s another fascinating connection.
Jovic is mentored by Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic.
So there is a pretty interesting Serbian thread running through her story. Her father is Serbian, she grew up watching Djokovic, and now one of the greatest players in tennis history is helping guide her.
Jovic has spoken about how watching her parents work hard to build a life in America shaped her.
Nothing was simply handed to her. She had to work for what she wanted.
You can see that mentality when she plays.
3. Her game is about taking away your time.
This became very obvious watching her against Alex.
Jovic takes the ball early, redirects it extremely well and is particularly dangerous with her backhand.
She doesn’t always need to overpower you.
She simply gives you less and less time to react.
And Alex is not an easy player to rush. Alex has become very good at changing pace, using spin and moving her opponents around.
But Jovic kept taking the ball early and kept coming back.
4. At 18, Iva has accomplished crazy good things already
Jovic won the Australian Open and Wimbledon girls’ doubles titles in 2024.
She also won the USTA Girls’ 18s Nationals singles championship.
In 2025, she won the WTA 125 in Ilkley and then captured her first WTA Tour-level singles title in Guadalajara at just 17.
Earlier this year, she reached the Australian Open quarterfinals.
And now she’s into the US Open fourth round after beating Alex.
Her next opponent?
Coco Gauff.
Hala!
5. But after watching today’s match, I think her biggest weapon may be her mindset.
This is what impressed me most.
Alex had the momentum in the third set.
She was leading 4-2 and 30-0.
The crowd was behind Alex.
The match had already gone beyond three hours.
And Jovic was only 18.
But instead of panicking, she somehow reset herself and found a way to win five of the final six games.
That’s not just talent.
That’s mental toughness.
That’s composure under pressure.
At 18, beating Alex Eala in that situation is a testament to the mindset Jovic already possesses.
I also loved what happened after the matc, diba? Did you see that?
Jovic collapsed onto the court after winning. She was exhausted and emotional.
Then Alex walked around the net and hugged her.
Jovic later became emotional talking about the gesture because these two aren’t just rivals. They’re friends and part of the same new generation of women’s tennis.
As much as I wanted Alex to win, I have to give Jovic her sampaguitas.
She earned this one.
And maybe that’s what I love about sports. Sometimes a loss introduces you to someone you wouldn’t have otherwise noticed.
Today, I became a little more of a fan of Iva Jovic.
But I’m still Team Alex, obviously.
Alex’s story is far from over.
In fact, perhaps these are the matches that forge champions.
There’s something about losing a heartbreaking match like this that can either break you or build you.
I’m praying and believing it will build Alex.
Because champions aren’t formed only by the matches they win.
Sometimes they are formed by the matches they desperately wanted to win but didn’t.
And perhaps that’s the lesson for all of us.
You don’t always get the victory you prayed for.
Sometimes you get the loss that develops something in you that victory never could.
So congratulations, Iva.
You were the better player today.
But Alex, keep going.
Keep working. Keep learning. Keep believing.
This is not the end of your story.
It may just be another chapter in the making of a champion
Laban, Alex. The Philippines is still behind you.
#AlexEala #IvaJovic #usopentennis
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