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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Iga Swiatek vs Linda Noskova
Date: January 20, 2024
Tournament: Australian Open 2024
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard (Outdoor)
Prize Money: A$86,500,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Sports & Sony Liv | Canada - TSN & RDS
Iga Swiatek vs Linda Noskova preview
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will take on Linda Noskova in the third round of the 2024 Australian Open on Saturday.
Swiatek moved past Sofia Kenin in the first round to book a second-round showdown against 2022 Melbourne finalist, Danielle Collins. The Pole trailed 3-1 in the first set, but swept five of the next six games to take the set.
Swiatek once again found herself on the backfoot as she fell behind 5-1 in the second set. She fought valiantly and even fended off five set points as she strung together a couple of games in a row. However, Collins closed out the set on her second try to level the proceedings.
Collins was on the frontfoot in the decider too, as she secured a 4-1 headstart. She was on the cusp of victory, but nerves got the better of her while Swiatek raised her level too. The Pole reeled off the next five games to win the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Noskova knocked out 31st seed Marie Bouzkova to advance to the second round, where Mccartney Kessler awaited her. The Czech teen gained the upper hand in the first set thanks to an early break of serve. She held on to the lead to claim the set as well.
Kessler stormed back to take the second set in dominant fashion as she dropped just one game in it. The two were evenly matched until the end of the third set, when Noskova's experience came handy. The Czech broke her opponent's serve at 5-4 to score a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory.
Iga Swiatek vs Linda Noskova head-to-head
Swiatek leads Noskova 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2023 Poland Open in straight sets.
Iga Swiatek vs Linda Noskova odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Iga Swiatek vs Linda Noskova prediction
Swiatek was on the brink of defeat against Collins, but her stunning comeback proved why she has been the most dominant player on the women's tour. With her back up against the wall, the Pole raised her level to down her opponent.
But there's still work to be done. Swiatek's second serve was particularly vulnerable in the last round as she won just 30% of points on the back of it. Noskova played a pretty decent match to get past Kessler, but the World No. 1 will offer a whole new level of challenge.
After dealing with a couple of tough opponents, Swiatek will be expected to handle Noskova with ease. The Czech teen has a bright future, but for now she's not at the level she needs to be to deal with the Pole.
Pick: Iga Swiatek to win in straight sets.
