'I lost my sanity five times': Jovic defends homecourt at US Open against Eala

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jovic-iva/bmWvBlnL/"]Jovic[/a], the 14th seed, won five of the last six games for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/eala-a-ppu9X7PH/jovic-i-bmWvBlnL/?mid=Wb0sczfc"]7-5, 3-6, 7-5[/a] triumph over 17th-seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eala-alexandra/ppu9X7PH/"]Eala[/a] after three hours and three minutes.[/p][p][b]"That felt like a marathon, and I felt like I lost my sanity five times over to win that match,"[/b] Jovic said.[b] "But it's really worth it for this feeling."[/b][/p][embed guid="8781cda1-3152-4184-bfce-3ebe3b579d60" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thkGBIbEgbM" social-type="youtube" /][p]Two of the top rising stars of women's tennis made their Arthur Ashe Stadium debut a memorable battle that featured 17 service breaks in 33 games.[/p][p]Jovic, 18, and Eala, 21, are friends and sometimes doubles partners, knowing well each other's skills and style. That helped produce seven service breaks in the first 11 games.[/p][p][b]"I'm usually not one that shows that many emotions, but this one really meant a lot to me. It's everything to have another match here at the US Open,"[/b] said Jovic.[/p][p]That match will be against compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Gauff[/a], the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open champion.[/p][p][b]"I'm going to be more than happy to just bring this fight and this energy, and whatever happens I can leave with my head high,"[/b] Jovic said.[/p][image alt="Jovic-Eala matchup stats" id="c639c85d-9517-4fc7-a016-45e56536c422" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="f13f96b0-0979-4c35-ace2-29a134e77f80" original-width="2160" original-height="3840" /][p]Jovic broke four times to win the first set but was broken three times by left-hander Eala to drop the second.[/p][p]Eala broke Jovic in the first game of the third set when the American netted a backhand.[/p][p][b]"I just tried to take my time in those moments and feel the energy and feel the crowd -- even though they weren't always rooting for me,"[/b] Jovic said.[/p][p]Jovic smacked a forehand winner to break Eala in the fourth game and level the set, but the American double-faulted away a break in the fifth.[/p][p]Jovic broke back to 4-4 with a backhand service return winner and broke again in the last game, smacking a forehand winner to reach match point and taking the victory when Eala netted a forehand.[/p][p]Jovic, a quarter-finalist at this year's Australian Open, won her first WTA title last year in Guadalajara at age 17.[/p][embed guid="270d7484-ba21-4eb6-8efd-f2864cec9326" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adh_UJX3RB0" social-type="youtube" /][infobox id="3dc51b3a-107f-482b-9173-a97d347ef1b3" /]