By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, June 12, 2026
Photo credit: Luke Walker/Getty for LTA

Five months after the king crowned her a future world No. 1, Iva Jovic scored a milestone moment at Queen’s Club.

In an all-American clash, Jovic defeated 2025 finalist Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to surge into the HSBC Championships semifinals on the historic Queen’s Club grass.

The 18-year-old Jovic scored her first career Top 5 victory to reach her fourth semifinal of the season.

Jovic converted six of 17 break points and exploited an uncharacteristic 12 double faults from the 2025 Wimbledon finalist in a two-hour, 18 minute win. Jovic improved to 26-12 on the season.

In the aftermath of Novak Djokovic’s 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) Australian Open third-round win over Botic van de Zandschulp in January, the Grand Slam king made a bold claim: Iva Jovic is a future world No. 1.

Djokovic, who is friendly with Jovic and her parents, Serbian immigrants to California, gave the American shrewd tactical advice that she applied in her 6-2, 7-3(3) upset of seventh-seeded Jasmine Paolini in her first Top 10 win at the Melbourne major.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion said Jovic has the key qualities to rise to the top and win Grand Slam titles.

“I got to know Iva last year for the first time. She’s so young and she’s already making great strides in the rankings and making some great results—she’s in the last 16. So we ran into each other yesterday in the press area and I got to share some observations of her game,” Djokovic told Hall of Famer Jim Courier at the AO. “I guess [what I told her] stays between us. I saw that she did give away in her press conference what I told her. That’s fine. It’s up to her if she wants to share.

“Obviously, I really like her. She’s a great girl and really nice family. Obviously, I feel more emotionally connected to her because of her Serbian background. So I try even more. She has all the tools to be a future champion—to be a future No. 1—and that’s exactly what I wish for her.”

A year ago at this time, Jovic was ranked No. 115.

Next up for the world No. 19 is a Saturday semifinal against either 2021 US Open champion and home favorite Emma Raducanu or world No. 78 Kamila Rakhimova.

The 2024 Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vekic broke serve four times overcoming former Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Vekic will face either top-seeded two-time major champion Elena Rybakina or Briton Katie Boulter in tomorrow’s semifinals.