Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova in motion throughout her third spherical match towards Poland’s Iga Swiatek on the Australian Open on January 20, 2024
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
High seed Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Australian Open on Saturday, dropping 3-6 6-3 6-4 to Czech teenager Linda Noskova within the third spherical as her bid for a maiden Melbourne Park title and fifth Grand Slam trophy fell aside.
The Pole, extra accustomed to breezing previous opponents with the odd “bagel” or 6-0 scoreline thrown in, had struggled in Melbourne, enduring a first-set tiebreak in her opener towards Sofia Kenin earlier than combating again from the brink of defeat to oust Danielle Collins final outing.
Noskova, 19, emerged as a difficult third-round opponent with three top-10 wins beneath her belt, however Swiatek appeared in no temper to be dragged into one other dogfight as she broke within the sixth sport and held to like within the subsequent to take cost.
The 22-year-old barely let the depth drop after taking the primary set as she pressured Melbourne Park debutant Noskova into uncomfortable positions within the second by working the angles and launching large forehands.
However the Czech held agency, responding with some explosive hitting of her personal and breaking en path to levelling up the competition earlier than heaping the strain on the four-times main champion to take a 2-1 lead within the decider.
Swiatek appeared to have composed herself throughout a quick pause in play as docs attended to a sick supporter within the crowd and broke again, however Noskova didn’t relent and acquired her nostril in entrance once more to shut out the match on serve and full an enormous upset.
