World No. 1 Iga Swiatek Upset By Czech Teenager In Australian ...

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 20: Linda Noskova (L) of Czech Republic greets Iga Swiatek of Poland ... [+] after their Women's Singles Third Round match during day seven of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 20, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images)

The world No. 1 on the women’s side is out of the Australian Open.

Linda Noskova, a 19-year-old Czech ranked No. 50 in the world, came from a set down to stun world No.1 Iga Swiatek, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the fourth round of a major for the first time.

Noskova will next face No. 19 Elina Svitolina, who swept past Viktorija Golubic, 6-2, 6-3. Svitolina is one of two moms remaining in the women’s draw along with No. 18 seed and two-time former Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who defeated No. 11 Jelena Ostapenko, 6-1, 7-5.

Swiatek’s absence opens up the top half of the draw in a major way.

The loss snapped an 18-match winning streak for Swiatek dating to last September and marked the earliest loss by a No. 1 seed at the Australian Open since 1979, when Virginia Ruzici lost to Mary Sawyer in the first round, and the first time since the tournament became a 128-player draw in 1988 that the top seed has not made the fourth round.

A four time major champion, including three at Roland Garros, Swiatek had been the betting favorite to win her first Australian Open. With her out of the tournament, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff are the betting favorites, but both are in the bottom half of the draw.

For Noskova, who reached the Brisbane International semifinals ahead of the Australian Open, it was her fourth career victory over a Top 10 player, first at a Grand Slam and first over a reigning world No.1.

The last teenager to defeat the world No.1 at a major was Petra Kvitova, who upset Dinara Safina in the third round of the 2009 US Open at the age of 19. The last teenager to defeat the world No.1 at the Australian Open was Amélie Mauresmo, who defeated Lindsay Davenport in the 1999 semifinals at the age of 19.

Noskova is competing in only her sixth Grand Slam main draw, and first in Melbourne. A year ago, she fell in the first round of Australian Open qualifying to Katherine Sebov. Now, she has leveled her head-to-head against Swiatek at one win apiece, after losing 6-1, 6-4 to the Pole in the Warsaw quarterfinals last July.

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