Australian Open: Top-ranked Iga Swiatek suffers shock exit after defeat to unseeded Linda Noskova
Jan 20, 2024
Melbourne [Australia], January 20 : The four-time Grand Slam winner and World No.1 Iga Swiatek suffered a shocking early exit after a 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 defeat against unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday.
Playing at the Rod Laver Arena, the 19-year-old Noskova knocked out World No. 1 Swiatek to continue her career-best Grand Slam run, advancing to the fourth round of a major for the first time.
The 19-year-old Noskova's outstanding triumph snaps Swiatek's 17-match winning streak dating back to September last year. The Czech teen is competing in only her sixth Grand Slam main draw, and first in Melbourne.
The youngster's easy natural power and confidently executed drop shot were evident in the match against the top-ranked player and Noskova was the first player to hold break points as early as the third game.
However, after a four-deuce battle, Swiatek saved both and then retaliated to break Noskova for a 4-2 victory. She put Noskova to the test right away at the beginning of the second set, winning the first game with a booming backhand return to increase the pressure.
But Noskova raised her game when she lost a close opening set match. She improved the areas of her game that had failed her down: her first serve percentage increased from 56 per cent to 68 per cent and her ratio of 11 winners to 16 unforced mistakes in the first set changed to 15 victories to 12 unforced errors in the second.
These enhancements enabled Noskova to produce a few pivotal clutch plays. At 2-2 and 3-3, she faced break points, but she saved both with a winning service. With a 4-3 lead, it was her moment to strike: three outstanding winners, capped by a forehand return rocket, allowed her to break Swiatek for the first time. Noskova levelled the match with three service victories and an ace to close out the set without blinking.
In the decider, she didn't even blink. By now Swiatek's forehand was giving up easy points, and Noskova capitalized on two of those to break for a 2-1 lead. Once again, Swiatek found the range on that wing to break back, and it appeared as though she had shifted the tide when she held for 3-2, having prevented a break point by saving a break point with an incredible backhand winner down the line, Swiatek found her range on that wing once more to break back and appeared to have shifted the tide in her favour when she held for 3-2 however, the teenager took the match from there and seal it with a big upset victory.
