18th-seeded Iva Jovic will face former World No. 2 Paula Badosa in the second round of the 2026 Miami Open. Being seeded, Jovic received a bye in the first round, while Badosa began her campaign with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
Iva Jovic vs. Paula Badosa: 2026 Miami Open Match Details
Date: March 21, 2026
Tournament: 2026 Miami Open
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Surface: Outdoor hard
Category: WTA 1000
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, TSN
Jovic vs. Badosa Head-to-Head
The head-to-head between the two players is 0-0, as the upcoming match in Miami will be their first on the tour.
Jovic started the year well, with great results in the first three events, including a semifinal finish in Auckland, followed by a runner-up finish in Hobart, where she came second to Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the final. She had a breakthrough run at the Australian Open, losing to top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals. Her results in the last two events have been slightly under par, as she had second-round exits in Austin and Indian Wells.
Badosa had her best outing this year at a WTA 125 event in Austin, where she reached the semifinal, losing to Bianca Andreescu. On the main tour, the Spaniard has been found wanting, as she has had three first-round exits in six of the events she has played, including an opening-round loss against Yulia Putintseva in Indian Wells.
Her best result on tour has been a third-round finish at the Brisbane International, where she lost to Elena Rybakina.
Jovic vs. Badosa Prediction
Jovic has served well this season, winning 74.4% of her service games and saving 58.2% of the break points she has faced. On return, she has won 42.7% of return games while converting 50% of break points.
Badosa’s numbers are behind those of Jovic in terms of both serve and return. She has won 65.3% of her service games while saving 55.9% of the break points. She has won 30.1% of her return games, with a break-point conversion rate of 36.8%.
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The PFSN Tennis Simulator gives Jovic a 62% chance of winning the upcoming match, making the young American the favorite. Given her current form and career trajectory, Jovic will have the upper hand, as she is climbing the rankings and making incremental changes to her game.
Badosa, on the other hand, has fallen far behind in the rankings, falling out of the Top 100, as the Spaniard has struggled with form and injuries in recent times.
Pick: Jovic to win in straight sets
