Australian Open: Top seed Iga Swiatek crashes out after losing 3-6 6-3 6-4 to Czech teenager Linda Noskova

Top seed Iga Swiatek was eliminated from the Australian Open on Saturday as she lost 3-6 6-3 6-4 to Czech teenager Linda Noskova in the third round in one of the major upsets of the tournament.

The loss also brings to end Swiatek’s 17-match winning streak dating back to September last year and is the earliest loss by a No.1 seed at the tournament since 1979.

Swiatek had looked far from her dominating self in this event with the Pole enduring a first-set tiebreak in her opener against Sofia Kenin before fighting back from the brink of defeat to oust Danielle Collins in the second round.

🚨 UPSET 🚨

🇨🇿 Linda Noskova knocks out World No. 1 Iga Swiatek to continue her career best Grand Slam run 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vWd8WM5Qsa

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) January 20, 2024

She, however, started well in third round against the 19-year-old Noskova when she broke in the sixth game and held to love in the next to take charge. After that she barely let the intensity drop after taking the first set as she forced her opponent into uncomfortable positions in the second by working the angles and launching big forehands.

But the Czech held firm, responding with some explosive hitting of her own and breaking en route to levelling up the contest before heaping the pressure on the four-times major champion to take a 2-1 lead in the decider.

This was not part of the script 📝

Linda Noskova takes the second set against No.1 seed Iga Swiatek 6-3 😲#AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/xqeSDlCteE

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2024

Swiatek looked to have composed herself during a brief pause in play as doctors attended to a sick supporter in the crowd and broke back, but Noskova did not relent and got her nose in front again to close out the match on serve and complete a huge upset.

This was the latest in the string of upsets in this edition of the Australian Open with Elena Rybakina, Naomi Osaka, Ons Jabeur and Andy Murray already eliminated from the tournament.

(With Agency inputs)

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