Australian Open 2024 | Top seed Swiatek dumped out as Alcaraz shines

World number one Iga Swiatek joined the rapid exit of top-10 women’s seeds from the Australian Open; men’s world number two Alcaraz laid down a marker in a lopsided contest against Chinese teenager Shang Juncheng lasting just 66 minutes.

World number one Iga Swiatek joined the rapid exit of top-10 women’s seeds from the Australian Open on January 20 as Carlos Alcaraz sent a chilling warning to his rivals.

Poland’s Swiatek came into the third-round match against Czech teenager Linda Noskova on an 18-match unbeaten run, targeting a first title at Melbourne Park.

But the tournament is turning into a graveyard for the stars and the 22-year-old four-time major winner lost her way after winning the first set, going down 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

A crestfallen Swiatek said she felt the match was under control until she was broken in the second set.

“I feel like I did really everything I could in pre-season to improve some stuff that I wanted to,” she said. “Then I came here and I wasn’t playing kind of natural anymore.”

Noskova, playing in her first Australian Open, said she was “speechless”.

“I knew it was going to be an amazing match, but I didn’t really think it would end up like this,” said the 50th-ranked player, who faces Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina next.