There’s a certain electricity when a teenage star steps onto the tennis stage. Serena Williams once brought it. Coco Gauff carried it forward. Now, 18-year-old Iva Jovic is part of that next wave.

Jovic and the Philippines’ own Alex Eala teamed up to open their 2026 season with a statement win at the ASB Classic, taking down seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams in doubles. Eala, 20, and Jovic defeated the veteran pairing of the 45-year-old former World No. 1 Williams and 31-year-old Elina Svitolina, 7-6, 6-1, in a match that lasted one hour and 29 minutes.

With an average age of just 19, Eala and Jovic outplayed a duo boasting six combined Olympic medals at the WTA 250 event in Auckland. Ultimately, after the hard-fought win, Eala soaked in the moment.

“I had such a good time on court,” she said. “I think we had a lot of fun, and just to start the year with such a moment like this, and sharing the court with two pioneers of the sport, off the court as well, people I’ve looked up to since I was young, so I’m so happy.”

Williams and Svitolina looked firmly in control early in the opening set. After falling behind 0-2, the veterans surged to a 5-3 lead and were two points from closing it out with a 40-15 advantage in Game 9. But Eala and Jovic refused to give up, stealing that game and the next to level the set at 5-all and completely flip the momentum.

The pressure moments kept coming. Williams and Svitolina regrouped in Game 11 and again held a 40-15 lead in Game 12, but the young duo mounted yet another comeback to force a tiebreak. Even there, the experienced pair had two chances to seal the set, only to watch Eala and Jovic rip off three straight points from 6-7 down to steal it, 9-7.

That dramatic finish seemed to drain the veterans, while the Gen Z pair only grew stronger. Set 2 turned into a showcase of confidence and energy, with Eala and Jovic racing out to a 4-0 lead and taking complete control of the match.

Williams and Svitolina finally got on the scoreboard by breaking Jovic’s serve in Game 5, but the response was immediate. Eala and Jovic broke right back in the following game, restoring their cushion and keeping the pressure firmly on their opponents.

The match ended emphatically. Eala delivered the final blow with a fearless serve that froze Venus Williams for an ace, sealing the straight-sets win and sending the young pair into the quarterfinals.

Now safely through, Alex Eala and Iva Jovic await the winner between top seeds Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffe or the team of Jesika Malečková and Renata Zarazua. Eala will also shift her focus to singles, where she faces 29-year-old Croatian Donna Vekić, the current World No. 69, as she continues a busy start to her 2026 season.

All four players remain in Australian Open mode, including Venus Williams, a four-time doubles champion who received a wildcard into the season’s first Grand Slam. As for Jovic, her performance only reinforced the growing belief that she is the real deal, a matchup that felt like 38 years of youth against 76 years of experience, and a talent once recognized early by Serena Williams’ childhood coach, Rick Macci.

Why Iva Jovic’s mental game sets her apart

Last year, Iva Jovic made history by becoming the youngest player to win a WTA title, defeating Emiliana Arango 6-4, 6-1. She lifted the trophy at just 17 years and 283 days old, edging out Mirra Andreeva to claim the distinction as the youngest champion of the season. Even more impressive, Jovic became the youngest American to win a tour-level title since Coco Gauff’s breakthrough run in Parma in 2021.

Her performance later caught the attention of legendary coach Rick Macci, who didn’t hold back his praise. He described Jovic as “the real deal,” emphasizing that she is “mentally cut from a different cloth.” Macci also highlighted her clean ball-striking and ability to control points, confidently predicting she could reach the top 10 by the end of 2026 and “stay there.”

Back then, Iva Jovic arrived in Guadalajara ranked No. 73 in the world and left with a career-high ranking of No. 36. That leap looked even more remarkable considering she started 2025 ranked outside the top 200 at No. 206. Her mental toughness showed throughout the tournament, as she converted key break points and repeatedly escaped trouble under pressure.

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The final itself lived up to expectations, guaranteeing a first-time champion. Arango, who had already reached a final earlier in the season, battled through physical issues and illness, even getting sick on court. Despite that, she continued to compete fiercely, especially during a tightly contested opening set.

Now, looking ahead to the ASB Classic, the storylines keep building. Alex Eala and Venus Williams could cross paths again, this time in singles, if both advance to the quarterfinals, another potential chapter in a week already filled with generational clashes and rising stars.