Poland’s Iga Swiatek takes part in a press conference on day seven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2024. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)
World primary Iga Swiatek said she had didn’t play her “natural” game after her 18-match winning run got here to a shuddering halt on the Australian Open on Saturday.
Swiatek, the Polish top seed, was beaten 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 within the third round by unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova — ending her hopes of a primary title in Melbourne.
Just three of the highest 10 women’s seeds remain within the attract Melbourne at the tip of the primary week.
The most important win of her profession 👏
An evening to recollect for Linda Noskova! ✨#AusOpen • #AO2024 • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/ptb9gFkKUW
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2024
Swiatek began the tournament with a straight-sets win against former champion Sofia Kenin before staging a high-quality comeback to defeat 2022 runner-up Danielle Collins.
But she got here unstuck against Fiftieth-ranked Noskova despite winning the primary set under the lights on Rod Laver Arena.
A crestfallen Swiatek said she felt the match was under control until she was broken within the second set.
“I used to be rushing it,” she said. “I just wasn’t playing form of with my intuition and naturally.
“Needless to say I used to be more stressed than in other tournaments, especially the primary two rounds,” she added.
“But I believe some things just didn’t work as they did before, despite the fact that I used to be working the identical way. I feel like I did really every thing I could in pre-season to enhance some stuff that I desired to.
“Then I got here here and I wasn’t playing form of natural anymore. I don’t know, like my split step was too late sometimes, response just a little bit slower, another things.”
Noskova will face Ukrainian nineteenth seed Elina Svitolina within the last 16 on Monday.
‘Unbelievable match’
“It was an unbelievable match for me,” said the 19-year-old. “Playing on such a court for the primary time, twiddling with Iga for a second time, I actually desired to win this, so I’m just glad that I did it.
“I do know that I even have improved loads within the last year-and-a-half, yr. I mean, I just believed my game tonight.
“I just really wanted this win because I didn’t really come to that court with the considered, like, I even have nothing to lose.”
Swiatek, 22, broke within the sixth game and went on to take the primary set in 43 minutes.
Each women faced pressure on their serves in a good second set and fended off break points until the eighth game, when Noskova broke to like to steer 5-3 before serving out.
Swiatek cracked within the third game of the decider, putting herself in serious trouble, but she hit back immediately after speaking along with her coaching team on court.
But she got here under pressure on her serve again, saving one other break point to edge ahead 3-2.
That proved a short lived stay of execution as she netted with a forehand within the seventh game to provide Noskova one other break for a 4-3 lead and he or she held serve for 5-3.
Swiatek held her own serve after which won the primary two points as Noskova served for the match. However the Czech player kept her head, firing an ace to establish match point and sealing the deal.
