Czech Republic teenager Linda Noskova upsets World No. 1 Iga Swiatek at Australian Open

Can the 2024 Australian Open WTA results get any crazier? Top seeds continue to fall in Melbourne. The latest and most significant thus far is World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, defeated in three sets, by 19-year-old Linda Noskova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Noskova will face the winner of the Elina Svitolina and Viktorija Golubic match.

Noskova's comeback was punctuated by outstanding serving and groundstrokes. Swiatek, who mounted a huge comeback in the previous round to defeat Danielle Collins, did not have the same success today.

Swiatek has won every match she played dating back to late September. The first loss at a Grand Slam she has yet to win is likely a painful one, in more ways than one, because the Australian Open is a Grand Slam that she has yet to win. She previously downplayed the band that has now regularly appeared around her knee during her matches since the United Cup earlier in January so no one knows if that is a contributing factor or not.

What Iga Swiatek's loss means for the top half of the draw

With Swiatek's loss, the top half of the Australian Open draw has no remaining players ranked in the Top 10. Victoria Azarenka is the highest-ranked player remaining in that half, seeded 18th, and the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open Champion. Azarenka continued her perfect record (4-0) over Jelena Ostapenko earlier in the day with a straight set victory. In that half of the draw, the under-the-radar threat is Elina Svitolina, who has quietly won her previous matches in straight sets.

Defending Australian Open Champion Aryna Sabalenka who has barely broken a sweat in her matches and 2023 US Open Champion Coco Gauff whose path has not been terribly complicated are in the bottom half of the draw. 2021 French Open Champion Barbora Krejcikova is also in that half of the draw.

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