Melbourne: Top seed Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Australian Open on Saturday, losing 3-6 6-3, 6-4 to Czech teenager Linda Noskova in the third round as her bid for a maiden Melbourne Park title and fifth Grand Slam trophy fell apart.
The 19-year-old Noskova’s 2-hour, 20-minute victory snaps Swiatek’s 18-match winning streak dating back to September last year. It marks just the second time that Swiatek has lost to a player younger than her at tour level, following Coco Gauff’s victory in the Cincinnati semifinals last year, and only her second loss before the fourth round in her past 14 majors.
Noskova, who reached two Hologic WTA Tour finals in her 2023 rookie season and who started 2024 with a run to the Brisbane semifinals a fortnight ago, notches her fourth career victory over a Top 10 player, first at a Grand Slam and first over a reigning World No.1.
