Iva Jovic has shared a peek into her dreamy moments in Rome after her Italian Open campaign ended. The American teenager caught the attention of Aryna Sabalenka and Alexandra Eala with her stunning pictures, which included scenic shots and a fun outing with her compatriots, like Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Ben Shelton.
How Aryna Sabalenka and Alexandra Eala Reacted to Iva Jovic’s Rome Photos
Jovic entered the Italian Open as the No. 16 seed and kicked off her campaign with a 7-6(5), 7-6(4) win over McCartney Kessler. She then defeated Taylor Townsend 7-5, 6-2 to advance to the Round of 16. Although the 18-year-old came close to pulling off a major upset against Coco Gauff in the fourth round, she was unable to convert a crucial match point, allowing the world No. 4 to secure a 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 victory.
Amid her run, Jovic also made time to soak up the beauty of Rome. Following her exit, she shared glimpses of her sightseeing adventures with Eala, her visit to an AS Roma game, and her fun gelato-tasting outing with Gauff, Pegula, Shelton, Tommy Paul, Madison Keys, Frances Tiafoe, and several other American stars.
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Sabalenka and Eala couldn’t get enough of Jovic’s dreamy pictures, showering the American with glowing compliments that left her “blushing.”
“Gorgeous girl on my feed!!‼️🚨😍,” Eala commented.
“@alex.eala stawpppp😘😘,” Jovic responded.
“Those eyes 😍,” Sabalenka wrote.
“@arynasabalenka blushing☺️☺️,” the American replied.
Jovic also walked away from the Italian Open with high praise from Gauff after their thrilling encounter. When asked whether it felt weird to face a younger opponent, the two-time Grand Slam champion dismissed the notion and instead highlighted the 18-year-old’s promising future in the sport.
“Honestly, I don’t think about age when I’m playing. She is a top 20 player so the age doesn’t matter to me. Over years you mature and are able to figure out those tough moments but I don’t know where her ranking is, but I think it’s about 16th, so she does it better than 99 per cent of the Tour and 80 per cent of the top 100. The age means nothing, we go out there and compete and she obviously has a bright future ahead of her,” Gauff said.
While Coco Gauff is through to the final of the Italian Open, Aryna Sabalenka and Alexandra Eala joined Iva Jovic in making early exits. Sabalenka suffered a shock 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 loss to Sorana Cîrstea in the third round, while Elena Rybakina defeated Eala 6-4, 6-3 at the same stage.
