American rising star Iva Jovic recently opened up about a conversation she had with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, detailing the key habits and mindset shifts he adopts to evolve into a more well-rounded individual. The American added that she is actively working to refine her routine, with Djokovic serving as a key influence behind those changes.
Iva Jovic Reflects on Conversation with Novak Djokovic and What Makes Him Great
Jovic, an American with Serbian roots, was born to parents Bojan and Jelena, who hail from Leskovac, Serbia, and Split, Croatia, respectively. Soon set to begin her Charleston Open campaign as the fourth seed, she spoke on a range of topics beforehand, including her recent conversation with Novak Djokovic.
The 18-year-old highlighted that while Djokovic’s achievements seem extraordinary, what stands out most is his discipline, habits, and mindset, which she believes are the real foundations behind his sustained success.
“What he’s done on the court, people probably thought impossible, right? It’s unbelievable what he’s done as a player. But the most impressive thing to me is just him as a person, everything he does that makes him a good tennis player,” she said.
“A lot of it is off the court. He’s doing a lot of things to calm his mind, to be a better, more well-rounded person. More than in those moments on the court, that’s what makes him better, because there are such fine margins in tennis,” she added.
Jovic noted that she is inspired by Djokovic’s self-awareness and habits, adopting elements such as meditation while recognizing the importance of tailoring her routines to suit her own needs and maximize performance.
“He’s doing all these things that I think a lot of players don’t even know about, He meditates a lot. He just knows himself very well. I’ve started to make some changes in my own routines, as well, trying to incorporate as much as I can from people like Novak. Obviously, you just need to find what works well for you,” she concluded.
Jovic has struggled to replicate the level she produced during the Australian swing at the start of the season. She impressed early on with a semifinal run at the ASB Classic in Auckland, a runner-up finish at the Hobart International, and a quarterfinal showing at the Australian Open.
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However, her momentum has since dipped sharply, with a third-round exit in Dubai, a second-round finish at the ATX Open, another early exit at Indian Wells, and a third-round run in Miami.
Djokovic, meanwhile, has scaled back his tour appearances in 2026, featuring only at the Australian Open and the BNP Paribas Open. His schedule took another hit when he withdrew from the Miami Open due to a shoulder injury, before also pulling out of the upcoming Monte-Carlo Masters.
