Iga Swiatek’s Australian Open journey comes to an end in the third round with a defeat against Linda Noskova. The Polish tennis sensation lost a closely contested match 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 at the Melbourne courts, bidding adieu to the competition a round earlier than her performance last year.
The first set was a battle of serves, with both players displaying strong performances. Linda Noskova consistently delivered aces, challenging Iga Swiatek. At 1:1, Noskova had a chance at 15-40, but Swiatek defended brilliantly with excellent serves. The turning point came at 3:2, the longest game with Noskova’s fluctuating form. Despite giving Swiatek three break points with powerful serves and occasional errors, the third was capitalized upon, deciding the set. Both players held serves, and Swiatek secured a 6-3 victory in this closely contested set.
The second set mirrored the first, albeit in the opposite direction. Swiatek had her opportunities to break, but Noskova was surprised by capitalizing on a chance at 3-4, subsequently levelling the match with a stellar service game.
In the decisive set, the match’s dynamics changed as both players traded early breaks, intensifying each subsequent game into a struggle to hold serves. Regrettably, Swiatek faltered at 3-3, and despite additional opportunities, she squandered crucial moments with unforced errors. Ultimately, Noskova clinched victory with a 6-4 score, advancing to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
An EPIC performance 💥👏
— wta (@WTA) January 20, 2024
Linda Noskova defeats World No.1 Swiatek in a three set thriller 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. She books her ticket into the fourth round! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/WcXZW4uzkL
Iga Swiatek – Linda Noskova 1-2 (6-3, 3-6, 4-6)