Jessica Pegula explains how Iva Jovic is different to her after calling her ‘mini-me’

Jessica Pegula learned a lot more about her “mini-me” Iva Jovic after knocking her out of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Before their round of 16 match in Dubai, Pegula said of her fellow American Jovic: “I think it’s going to be a tough match for me.

“Iva, we’ve never played, but I feel like she kind of plays like a mini-me, so it’s going to be tough.”

The 18-year-old certainly troubled Pegula in Dubai, but ultimately the more experienced American triumphed 6-4, 6-2.

Jessica Pegula thinks Iva Jovic is ‘more intense’ than her

Pegula addressed her “mini-me” comparison after the win, when she was asked if that was indeed the case following their first-ever match.

“Yeah, in the way that she plays, I definitely see some similarities,” explained Pegula. “She tries to take the ball early.

“She tries to return really hard and through the middle. I think she likes to change the direction of the ball very well, especially off of her backhand.

“Her serve honestly is pretty good. I think it’s gotten a lot better, even from last year when I hit with her a few times, and when I played her in doubles as well.

“She’s definitely a little more intense than I am. She seems, like, so focused and routined in what she does. I’m probably maybe a little bit different in that.

“I can definitely see where changing the direction of the ball and taking it early – I mean, she’s not the only one that does it – but since she said she modeled it after me, I can definitely see that resemblance.”

Pegula has since reached the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships, having knocked out Clara Tauson shortly after beating Jovic.

Jessica Pegula praises ‘great competitor’ Iva Jovic

Pegula certainly made her experience count against Jovic, with the duo at very different stages of their careers.

But the latter has enjoyed a very rapid rise on the WTA Tour, where she is currently in her career-high rank of 20th.

Pegula is way up in fifth in the world, and was ultimately glad to make it through a difficult game against a determined opponent.

“Yeah, she’s a great competitor,” Pegula added about Jovic. “I knew it didn’t really matter the score, that she was going to keep fighting no matter what.

“I thought I started serving really, really well. I started winning a lot of points off my first serve. I felt her level dropped a little bit and I was kind of able to overpower a little bit.

“Returned a little bit better, served a little bit better. I think I was just starting to win more free points really quickly, whereas in the first set I felt like it was very, very close.

“We were having a lot of long games, close games, longer points and stuff like that. I think, yeah, I was able to just be a little bit more aggressive in the second.

“Then I feel like I kind of took control of that set, especially in the middle of the set there when I went up 4-1.”

While Jovic can be proud of another solid showing, Pegula now moves on to a Dubai semifinal against Amanda Anisimova.

The 31-year-old American is on a superb streak right now, having just reached the semifinals for the seventh successive tournament.

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