One was a 20-year-old lefthander from Irvine, the other was 18, righthanded and from Torrance… two Southern California cities that are 36 miles apart via the 405 Freeway… One was born December 2, 2005, the other December 6, 2007…
They were Australian Open ’26 quarterfinalists… having made their Main Draw debuts in 2025.
Learner Tien and Iva Jovic share “Similarities…”
Tien was the AO Boys’ Singles finalist in 2023, losing in three sets to Alexander Blockx. But he teamed with Cooper Williams to win the Boys Doubles, becoming the first US team to do so since 2004.
The next year Jovic and Tyra Grant were the Girls’ Doubles champions.
Similarities…
For a journalist with a decades long career, family backgrounds like those of the Tien and Jovic families are inspiring. Both are immigrants. In the case of Jovic’s parents, her father is Serbian and her mother Croatian… and I must add that what follows is not storytelling using “Creative license…”
Tien’s mother Huyen, a former schoolteacher, appropriately named him Learner… and his father Khuong Dan Tien, a real estate lawyer, decided that his daughter’s named should be Justice. Further, he began “playing…” (a.k.a. holding a racquet) while his parents played when he was not quite two-years-old.
Bojan and Jelena Jovic, Iva’s parents, are pharmacists. They manage the pharmacy departments at different Ralphs Grocery Stores in Southern California. Iva’s older sister Mia, a member of the UCLA Women’s Tennis team, is a junior academically. She has received Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recognition. Iva began hitting with Mia when she was five… on the rooftop court of the apartment where the family lived.
Similarities…
In the first round of the Australian Open, seeded No. 25, Tien escaped with a five set victory over Marcos Giron, a Southern Californian from Thousand Oaks. Next up was Alexander Shevchenko whom he subdued in four sets. He then won back-to-back three-set decisions over Nuno Borges and No. 11 seed, Daniil Medvedev.
Alexander Zverev, the 3rd seed, ended Tien’s Melbourne stay 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-6(3) in the quarterfinals.
Jovic, seeded No. 29, dominated Katie Volynets and Priscilla Hon losing only eight games in her first two matches. Jasmine Paolini, the No. 7 seed, was more of a test, but not much, as the 6-2, 7-6(3) score brings out. Yulia Putintseva was erased 6-0, 6-1. Then Aryna Sabalenka proved why she was the No. 1 seed, saving all five break points against her in taking the quarterfinal contest, 6-3, 6-0.
Similarities…
In 2025, Tien was ranked No. 121 and the No. 16 seed as he successfully played through the AO Men’s Singles Qualifying. He would ultimately reach the fourth round of the main draw. Along the way, he escaped with five set first and second round triumphs over Ugo Carabelli and Medvedev, the No. 5 seed, and dismissed Corentin Moutet in straight sets, before Lorenzo Sonego ended his run in four sets.
Jovic, ranked No. 191, was the US Women’s Wild Card Playoff winner and downed Nuria Párrizas Díaz with the loss of only three games in the first round. Elena Rybakina, the No. 6 seed, ended Jovic’s Melbourne visit, allowing her three games in the second round.
Similarities…
Tien was the US National Boys’ 18 Singles champion in 2022 and ’23, earning US Open Men’s Singles wild cards with both victories.
Jovic doubled in 2024 winning the US National Girls’ 18 Singles and Doubles with Tyra Grant which resulted in US Open Women’s wild cards in both events. It was the first US National Girls’ double since 2009, when Christine McHale was the singles winner and claimed the doubles with Asia Muhammad.
Similarities…
Initially Tien’s father was his coach. Eric Diaz took over, then Erik Kortland, who is affiliated with the USTA, became involved.
Always looking to become better, Tien took full advantage of the opportunity to train at the USTA West facility in Carson, California.
Peter Smith, the legendary former USC Men’s Tennis coach guided Jovic in the beginning. As she developed, Tom Gutteridge took over. Then her hero Novak Djokovic, who became a friend, began offering advice.
Similarities…
In an ATP January story, Tien revealed that he was, “much different (in Australia) this year than last year. A year later, I think I’m a lot more mature as a person and a player. I think just being on my own a lot more for the past year I’ve become a lot more independent and I think I’ve just gotten more used to the life, traveling more on my own, and I think because of that I’ve grown a lot as a person as much as I have as a player.
“I think gradually I’ve started to accept that this is my life and hopefully this will be my life for years to come. It’s been gradual, I’ve been getting used to it. I wouldn’t say that I woke up one morning and I suddenly felt like this is my life and everything was integrated into my life. But I think over the past year I’ve come to terms with this [being] the new normal and I’ve accepted that.”
In the middle of 2025, Michael Chang – who won Roland-Garros in 1989 at 17, becoming the youngest Men’s Grand Slam Singles titlist in history – became Tien’s coach, and Kortland is still a member of his coaching team.
Tien admitted, “I think I’m better all around. I wouldn’t say I’m playing drastically differently. I would like to think I’m a bit less of a pusher now, maybe. I think the years’ worth of experience has been good for me and I think I’ve obviously improved a lot, but I wouldn’t say I’m a totally different player.”
Johnson pointed out, “ … He’s already accomplished so much in his young career… the sky is the limit, especially with Michael. Now he’s just going to leave no stone unturned. His work ethic is incredible… he just continually gets better and better.”
In a tennisuptodate story of October 15, 2025, by Azeem Siddiqui, Jovic said, “Tom (Gutteridge) still works for USTA, and we have a great relationship. He helps me a lot, travels with me to almost every tournament, and I’m so happy about that. There is not too much talk… we do specific drills to improve certain parts of my game. That’s what I prefer.
“Sometimes when there’s too much talking, things become too mechanical. Shots should feel natural… the best players in the world make it look effortless. I need to improve step by step. There’s always something to work on, but gradually, with small changes through practice.”
Of Djokovic, with whom she took a selfie when they first met, she said “…we’ve gotten to know each other, we’ve had a conversations… It is informal, relaxed. He just told me, ‘Whenever you have any questions, I’m here for you.’ He’s very kind, very nice. I was a little shocked, it’s still strange for me that I know him.
“He follows me now, and of course I’ve followed him my whole life. It’s cool that we have a relationship… I’ll definitely use it and ask him for advice.”
Admitting that she had gone “blank” the first time they talked and after that she made notes on her telephone about questions she would ask the next time they visited, Jovic said, “…I wanted to know how he reacts after a loss… what goes through his mind. Also, I wanted to know about meditation, breathing techniques, and things like that. More mental stuff… we all know he’s a master at that. He gets frustrated too sometimes, but he’s found the winning formula, the golden middle. His answer will probably be ‘you have to work on it a lot (laughs). It’s never easy’.”
It is rare after such a decisive victory the winner praises an opponent, but Sabalenka was effusive about Jovic in her on-court post-match interview saying that the score didn’t indicate how difficult the match had been.
In her press conference, Sabalenka added she was aware that it was imperative not to let up… “The second set I felt like I have to step in and put even more pressure on her, because I can see that she’s young, she’s hungry, and I could tell during the match that no matter what’s the score, she’s still going to be there trying and trying to figure her way… So, that was definitely an amazing performance (from me) in the second set.”
Similarities…
Because of what was being portrayed internationally during the tournament, US players were continually asked post-match to comment about what was taking place at home. Amanda Anisimova, Taylor Fritz, Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton were cautious or had no comment…
Tien and Jovic responded with maturity that was age defying…
Following his loss to Zverev, a reporter said to Tien, “It’s been a big day for both you and Iva Jovic, who are the future of American tennis. It is also interesting that you’re both second-generation immigrants in the US. In the context of everything that’s happening with Trump and ICE, what does your heritage mean to you? And how important are immigrants to America and American sports today?”
Tien paused, then said, “Sorry, I don’t really want to talk about that right now.”
After she defeated Putintseva, Jovic responded to a question about the situation saying, “I hope going forward that we can have a lot more peace in our country and more kindness in the way we speak to each other”.
Similarities…
The last time the Australian Open showcased youngsters who made the singles quarterfinals was in 2015 when Nick Kyrgios was 19 and in 1998 when Venus Williams made her tournament debut at 17.
But this isn’t a comparison story… It is about the “Similarities…” that Learner Tien and Iva Jovic share… and the promise that is ahead…
Being based in Southern California, I have enjoyed the journey Tien and Jovic have taken… beginning when they were first touted as juniors… progressing through the ranks… and in time moving into the Top 20. Now I am looking forward to what they will realize during the rest of 2026.
Title photos by WTA and ATP