There's so many of us that there is always like this push-and-pull kind of battle in a fun way," Pegula added.
Pegula praised Jovic's rapid ascent, noting she has solidified herself as a top-20 player. "Seems like she's just getting more and more confident as she plays more matches.
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She's tough. Really good competitor.
Does everything really well. I'm not surprised she's pretty good on grass," Pegula said.
Reflecting on Jovic's exhausting three-set victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova, Pegula acknowledged the tactical challenges. "We've had some close matches already on a couple different surfaces.
Never played or practiced with her on grass, so that will be interesting," she noted.
Pegula, who previously nicknamed Jovic her "mini-me," expects a fierce baseline battle. "I know she's going to come after me hard.
I'll use that as motivation and try to be ready for as much as I can," she said.
The Buffalo native also adjusted her tactical approach to lawn tennis after years of struggling with movement.
"I feel like sometimes years in the past I've really fought against how to move on it, fought against all the intangibles, all the slices," Pegula said.
Jovic, a Torrance native who credited her quick footwork to youth soccer, welcomed the internal rivalry. "Everyone kind of wants to be the top American, I guess.
There is a little bit extra competition there," she said.
The teenager acknowledged similarities in their baseline styles but noted differences.
"There is a lot of things we do well, and we do similar, but a couple of differences too," Jovic said.
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Having lost both prior encounters against Pegula in 2026, Jovic remains determined. "Hopefully, this will be the one I get her," she said.
