MELBOURNA: World number one Iga Swiatek said she had failed to play her “natural” game after her 18-match winning run came to a shuddering halt at the Australian Open on Saturday.
The Polish top seed was beaten 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the third round by unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova — ending her hopes of a first title in Melbourne.
Just three of the top 10 women’s seeds remain in the draw in Melbourne at the end of the first week.
Swiatek started the tournament with a straight-sets win against former champion Sofia Kenin before staging a fine comeback to defeat 2022 runner-up Danielle Collins.
But she came unstuck against 50th-ranked Noskova despite winning the first set under the lights on Rod Laver Arena.
A crestfallen Swiatek said she felt the match was under control until she was broken in the second set.
“I was rushing it,” she said. “I just wasn’t playing kind of with my intuition and naturally.
“For sure I was more stressed than in other tournaments, especially the first two rounds,” she added.
“But I think some things just didn’t work as they did before, even though I was working the same way. I feel like I did really everything I could in pre-season to improve some stuff that I wanted to.
“Then I came here and I wasn’t playing kind of natural anymore. I don’t know, like my split step was too late sometimes, reaction a little bit slower, some other things.”
Noskova will face Ukrainian 19th seed Elina Svitolina in the last 16 on Monday.
“It was an unbelievable match for me,” said the 19-year-old. “Playing on such a court for the first time, playing with Iga for a second time, I really wanted to win this, so I’m just glad that I did it.
“I know that I have improved a lot in the last year-and-a-half, year. I mean, I just believed my game tonight.
“I just really wanted this win because I didn’t really come to that court with the thought of, like, I have nothing to lose.”
Swiatek, 22, broke in the sixth game and went on to take the first set in 43 minutes.
Both women faced pressure on their serves in a tight second set and fended off break points until the eighth game, when Noskova broke to love to lead 5-3 before serving out.
Swiatek cracked in the third game of the decider, putting herself in deep trouble, but she hit back immediately after speaking with her coaching team on court.
But she came under pressure on her serve again, saving another break point to edge ahead 3-2.
That proved a temporary stay of execution as she netted with a forehand in the seventh game to give Noskova another break for a 4-3 lead and she held serve for 5-3.
Swiatek held her own serve and then won the first two points as Noskova served for the match. But the Czech player kept her head, firing an ace to set up match point and sealing the deal.
Stressed Swiatek laments shock early exit from Australian Open
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Stressed Swiatek laments shock early exit from Australian Open
- The Polish top seed was beaten 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the third round by unseeded Czech teen Linda Noskova
- A crestfallen Swiatek said she felt the match was under control until she was broken in the second set
Alcaraz and Tsitsipas reach 3rd round at Paris Masters but Rublev loses temper and match
- The four-time Grand Slam champion is looking for his fifth title of the year and next plays either 15th-seeded Ugo Humbert or American qualifier Marcos Giron
- Holger Rune — who beat Djokovic in the 2022 final — advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Matteo Arnaldi
PARIS: Carlos Alcaraz overcame some rusty moments on his serve to beat Nicolas Jarry 7-5, 6-1 and reach the third round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday.
The second-seeded Spaniard was troubled by Jarry’s strong forehand at times. The Chilean broke his serve in the ninth game and held for 5-5. But Jarry double-faulted in his next service game to lose the first set.
“It was a little bit complicated, really happy to get through the first set,” Alcaraz said. “I have to get used to the speed of the court. It’s really fast for me.”
Alcaraz saved a break point in the third game of the second set with an ace and broke for a 4-1 lead with a crisp forehand winner.
Serving for the match, Alcaraz saved another break point with an ace to make it deuce and won the next two points, clinching victory when the erratic Jarry’s two-handed backhand clipped the net and went out.
“He’s a really dangerous player on these courts,” the 21-year-old Alcaraz said. “I’m super happy to win here.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion is looking for his fifth title of the year and next plays either 15th-seeded Ugo Humbert or American qualifier Marcos Giron.
“It’s been a great year so far,” said Alcaraz, who won major titles at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Tenth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-3, 6-4 to stay in contention to reach the season-ending ATP Finals for the top eight players. It is being held in Turin, Italy, next month.
Seventh-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, started well before losing 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4 to unseeded Australian Jordan Thompson.
In an earlier second-round match, sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev lost two tiebreakers and his temper as his hopes of qualifying for the Finals took a hit.
Rublev lost 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) to Francisco Cerundolo and was so frustrated at one point in the second set that he smashed his racket against his left knee at least seven times in succession and made it bleed.
The Russian player held the eighth and final qualifying place in the race for the Finals and could be overtaken by rivals.
US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz became the fifth player to qualify for the Finals. The big-serving American reached the season-ending tournament for the second time in three years. The indoor event takes place from Nov. 10-17.
Fritz joined US Open champion Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev in the field.
Sinner pulled out of the Paris Masters on Monday, citing a virus. The Italian player is guaranteed to finish the year as No. 1. He was the second high-profile player to pull out following seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.
In remaining first-round play, Holger Rune — who beat Djokovic in the 2022 final — advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Matteo Arnaldi.
No. 9 seed Alex de Minaur beat Mariano Navone 7-5, 6-1 to stay in outside contention for Turin, while No. 12 Hubert Hurkacz lost 6-1, 6-3 to Alex Michelsen.
US Open semifinalist Jack Draper won 7-5, 6-2 against Jiri Lehecka; American Ben Shelton beat Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-7 (8), 6-3, and Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard hit 28 aces in defeating US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Fresh from his title in Basel, Mpetshi Perricard next plays Karen Khachanov and will look to add to his 512 aces.
Frenchman Arthur Fils also progressed by edging Croatian Marin Cilic 7-6 (5), 6-4 and next faces Jan-Lennard Struff.
But veteran Richard Gasquet, who plans to retire after next year’s French Open, lost 6-3, 6-4 to Zizou Bergs.
Saudi Arabia unveils world-class venue as WTA Finals head to Riyadh
- Garbine Muguruza, serving as tournament director for the first time, shared her enthusiasm with Arab News about the distinctiveness of the facilities
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Saud University Indoor Arena, newly prepared to host the upcoming WTA Finals from Nov. 2-9, is set to welcome the world’s top women tennis players in a historic first for the Kingdom.
At its heart is a meticulously crafted center court, completed in just five days, with a wooden base layered in acrylic to provide an optimal playing surface. Unique to this year’s setup are three full-size practice courts — an uncommon feature in WTA Finals venues — allowing players the flexibility to train whenever they need.
Garbine Muguruza, serving as tournament director for the first time, shared her enthusiasm with Arab News about the distinctiveness of the facilities.
“With these three practice courts, players can train whenever they want, a flexibility that adds a new dimension to their preparation,” she said, noting the positive response from athletes who have already arrived.
“The players are excited to experience not only the courts but also the warmth and hospitality of the Kingdom, which has set a welcoming tone for the event.”
Supporting the main facilities, the arena includes individual locker rooms, a dedicated players’ lounge, and a dining hall, all designed to provide a seamless experience for athletes and teams.
Saudi Tennis Federation President Areej Mutabagani expressed her excitement for what this event means for Saudi youth, especially young women.
“To see top players like Aryna Sabalenka competing here can inspire young people to consider tennis as both a sport and a pathway to self-confidence and growth,” she explained, noting that the federation’s larger vision is to see sports become a powerful tool for development and empowerment across Saudi Arabia.
The WTA Finals will feature the top eight players in both singles and doubles, bringing a premier level of competition to Riyadh. Beyond the matches themselves, the event includes community outreach programs to engage Saudi youth, familiarize them with tennis, and create opportunities to meet their role models.
Muguruza highlighted the potential of these initiatives to drive a new generation of athletes: “Seeing these players up close can be life-changing, especially for young girls who might not have envisioned themselves in sports before.”
The WTA Finals mark the beginning of a three-year partnership between the Saudi Tennis Federation and the WTA, supporting the federation’s aim to attract 1 million Saudis to engage in tennis by 2030.
Local talents, including young players like Dania Alzuhair and Tala Ashoor, were among the first to try out the new courts, symbolizing the next generation of Saudi tennis.
“This isn’t just a tournament; it’s a pivotal step in building a sports culture that empowers and uplifts our youth,” Mutabagani noted, emphasizing how the WTA Finals are a key part of Vision 2030’s broader focus on youth development and sports inclusion.
As Saudi Arabia prepares to welcome fans and top athletes, the tournament is set to be not only a sporting event but a milestone that promises to shape the future of tennis in the Kingdom and inspire young Saudis to pursue their passions with confidence and ambition.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner out of Paris Masters with ‘virus’
- World number one replaced in the draw by Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, who was drafted in from qualifying
- Organizers say Jannik Sinner was ‘suffering from an intestinal virus contracted before he arrived in Paris’
PARIS: World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Paris Masters indoor event due to an “intestinal virus,” the tournament organizers announced on Tuesday.
Sinner, assured since mid-October of finishing the year top of the rankings for the first time in his career at the age of 23, has been replaced in the draw by Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, who was drafted in from qualifying.
Cazaux will face either his compatriot Corentin Moutet or American Ben Shelton in his second round opener on Tuesday.
Organizers said Sinner was “suffering from an intestinal virus contracted before he arrived in Paris.”
The major objective at the end of his season, the Masters in Turin, which brings together the eight best players of the year, is scheduled for November 10-17.
He is then expected to take part in the Davis Cup finals the following week in Malaga, Spain. Italy are the defending champions.
Sinner enjoyed a sparkling 2024 season, winning his first two Grand Slam titles, at the Australian Open and the US Open.
In all, he has won seven tournaments since the start of the season, including three Masters 1000 titles, in Miami, Cincinnati and Shanghai.
However he is under the threat of suspension in a doping case that came to light several weeks ago, following an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Sinner has a chequered history with the Paris indoor tournament — a year ago, he withdrew before his second match.
Olympic champion Zheng wins in Tokyo for third title of year
- The win extended world No. 7 Zheng’s impressive run of form this year
- She also won in Palermo and finished runner-up in Wuhan and at the Australian Open
TOKYO: Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen won the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Sunday for her third title of the year, beating Sofia Kenin 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in the final.
China’s Zheng, the tournament’s top seed, kept her cool to edge a tight first set despite two rain delays, before pressing home her advantage to take the second comfortably.
The win extended world No. 7 Zheng’s impressive run of form this year after she became the first Chinese player to win an Olympic singles tennis gold when she triumphed in Paris.
She also won in Palermo and finished runner-up in Wuhan and at the Australian Open.
Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, was in doubt after retiring from her doubles semifinal on Saturday with a leg injury.
The American played the final with heavy strapping on her upper leg but showed no outward signs of discomfort.
It was world No. 155 Kenin’s first final of 2024.
She was looking to end a title drought that stretches back more than four years.
Neither player was allowed to get into a rhythm early in the match as rain twice brought play to a halt in Tokyo.
The roof was eventually closed and Zheng edged ahead with the slimmest of margins to take the first set in a tiebreak.
Backed by a large contingent of Chinese fans, the 22-year-old took control of the second set early.
She hit a total of 16 aces in the match and closed it out when Kenin hit a return long.
Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin advances to the WTA tournament final in Tokyo
- American Sofia Kenin won the Australian Open in 2020 and was a French Open finalist the same year
TOKYO: Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin has advanced to the final of the Pan Pacific Open with a 6-4, 6-4 win over ninth-seeded Katie Boulter on Saturday.
Kenin, who won the Australian Open in 2020 and was a French Open finalist the same year, broke the British player’s serve in the seventh game of the second set and the American served out to win the match for her best tournament performance of the season.
Later, No. 1 seed and Paris Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen was scheduled to play Diana Shnaider for a place in Sunday’s final against Kenin.
The 25-year-old Kenin was ranked as high as No. 4 early in 2020, but a series of injuries, including ankle and quadricep ailments, has seen her WTA ranking drop to its current 155.
Boulter, ranked 33rd, had not lost a set during the Tokyo hard-court tournament.
Kenin beat Boulter in the only other time they have played but it was when Boulter retired with an injury in the second set while trailing 4-1 to Kenin after losing the first set in Acapulco in 2019.
Boulter beat 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu on Friday in the quarterfinals.
