World number one Iga Swiatek joined the rapid exit of top-10 women's seeds from the Australian Open on Saturday 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."
Read full story on sport.timesofmalta.com
Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.
Support Us