50th-ranked Noskova ousts Swiatek

Melbourne, Australia – World number one Iga Swiatek’s 18-match winning run came to a shuddering halt at the Australian Open on Saturday when she was dumped out in the third round by unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova.

The Polish top seed appeared en route to the Last 16 afer taking the first set but lost her way, going down 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes to the 19-year-old world No. 50.

Just three of the top 10 women’s seeds remain in the draw in Melbourne at the end of the first week.

“I’m speechless,” said Noskova, who is at her first Australian Open. “I knew it was going to be an amazing match, but I didn’t really think it would end up like this.”

Swiatek, 22, who produced a stunning second-round comeback to beat former finalist Danielle Collins, broke in the sixth game and went on to take the first set in 43 minutes.

Noskova will face either Ukrainian 19th seed Elina Svitolina or Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic next.

Two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev swept past Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3, despite feeling sluggish.

It was a vastly different match from his late-night escape from two sets down against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round, a contest that finished at 3:40 a.m. on Friday.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz sent a chilling warning to his rivals, outclassing Shang Juncheng before the Chinese teenager was forced to retire, 6-1, 6-1, 1-0.

In other action on Saturday, women’s 12th seed Zheng Qinwen said she was inspired by Chinese great Li Na’s win in the 2014 final after she beat compatriot Wang Yafan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10/8).

Men’s ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz progressed but former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was beaten by Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya.