Linda Noskova fulfilled the greatest expectations of her nascent career with her first performance under the bright lights of Rod Laver Arena. She upset the world’s number one player, Iga Swiatek, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and made her first-ever trip to the Australian Open fourth round.
“I’m in awe; I knew it would be an incredible match against the top player in the world,” Noskova remarked. “I’m just happy to have survived another round, even though I didn’t really think it would end up like this.”
Noskova, a Czech player who is 19 years old, is thought to be the greatest young player in the world. It was only a matter of time until the 50th-ranked player in the world took the field and won magnificently, having placed in the top 50 the year before.
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Swiatek was the tournament favorite, but her tough draw showed her shortcomings. Two days earlier, Danielle Collins gave Swiatek a 4-1 lead and a double break, but the Poles won five straight. Swiatek made tremendous attempts to avoid death, but her Melbourne experiences showed that her opponents were badly underestimated.
Swiatek normally struggles with bigger hitters who push her behind the baseline and take time off her, but Noskova knew she had the strength and bat weight to challenge her.
Noskova was recognized for her powerful backhand and aggressive ball-striking, often dominating play from the baseline. Her tight, hard set was followed by a comfortable, free swing as she took the lead. Noskova held her nerve and won 35 sets while serving beautifully.
In her short career, Noskova defeated three top-10 players. Noskova had showed she could compete in majors, but she had never advanced past the third round or defeated a top-50 player. Since she defeated the world’s best, she may compete for more.
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