Iva Jovic has continued her superb rise at Roland Garros in Paris, where she has just earned a third round meeting with Naomi Osaka.
Jovic has been one of the best young talents on the WTA Tour in recent times, with the 18-year-old already a top 20 player.
And she has a chance to make a major statement at Roland Garros against Osaka, who is a four-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one.
Jovic has now previewed that meeting, sharing her thoughts on her next opponent just after defeating fellow American Emma Navarro 6-0, 6-3.
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Iva Jovic hopes to dictate play vs Naomi Osaka at Roland Garros
Jovic said of the third round blockbuster live on TNT Sports: “Yeah, very excited. Obviously she’s a great player.
“She’s a Slam champion for a reason. And it’s going to be a battle but hopefully I can dictate play and yeah find my way through.”
The teenager also discussed her impressive WTA journey so far, having been asked if the success has perhaps arrived quicker than she thought it would.
“It’s a great question,” she replied. “I think the journey has been what it is, honestly I’ve just been trying to get a little bit better each day.
“Maybe I didn’t expect to be so far along result-wise. But when I look at the way that I’m playing and how much I’ve improved, I think my game is where it needs to be. So then hopefully the results show too.”
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What Iva Jovic told herself after 6-0 set vs Emma Navarro
Jovic has been in scintillating form so far at Roland Garros, having defeated Alex Eala 6-4, 6-2 in her opening match.
She immediately followed that with a first-set bagel against Navarro, which she discussed afterwards when it was suggested that some players don’t like winning a set by such a margin for fear of what will come next.
She said: “Honestly I used to be in that mentality quite a lot. Because it’s just too good to be true, and so many times in the past it’s happened.
“I play a set like that and then I get broken first game of the second. So I told myself, ‘Okay Iva, 6-0, great, let’s lock in on this first service game please’.
“And I was able to hold there and kind of keep setting the tone in the second. But it’s never easy to keep that level up.”
And sharing insight into her preparation for the very hot conditions in Paris, she said: “I mean it’s not easy.
“Obviously it’s hot, and it’s clay too, so it’s super physical to begin with. And then you add the heat in.
“But this is what we train for, right? We can’t control the weather, so you have to be ready for any condition that’s thrown at you.
“You make sure you’re hydrating well, you bring a lot of change of clothes, you bring all the gels, all the fuel. You have to be ready to go for five hours in this heat.”
A formidable test now awaits against Osaka, who is into round three after knocking out Laura Siegemund and Donna Vekic.
The pair are currently preparing for their first-ever meeting on the WTA Tour.
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