World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has frequently had her hands full with Linda Noskova in their rivalry, but in their latest clash, at the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday evening, Swiatek saw things go mostly her own way.
Defending champion Swiatek of Poland defeated No. 31 seed Noskova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-2 to win her eighth straight Madrid match and clinch a spot in this fortnight’s Round of 16. Swiatek, also a Madrid finalist in 2023, is 15-2 lifetime at the tournament.
Rip-roaring rivalry: Swiatek’s first two rounds in Madrid have been against rising youngsters who have troubled her of late. After her opening-round bye this week, Swiatek had to come back from a set down to oust Alexandra Eala, the 19-year-old Filipina who knocked her out of last month’s Miami Open.
Her reward was another meeting with 20-year-old Noskova, who had already taken Swiatek out of the 2024 Australian Open en route to the Czech’s first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Swiatek had won all three of their WTA main-draw meetings since then, but that fact requires more context. In their last two meetings at WTA events, at 2024 Miami and 2025 Doha, Swiatek needed to squeak through a pair of two-and-a-half-hour battles to best Noskova. Those gripping matches were both decided by 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 scorelines in Swiatek’s favor.
The potential difference-maker in Madrid? This was their first meeting off of hard court. Swiatek wins nearly 90 percent of her matches when she plays a WTA 1000 main draw on clay (35-4 after today). Noskova kept the first set close until the last moment, but Swiatek won more of the decisive points to tip things her way and ease to victory.
Match moments: On Saturday, Noskova deployed the powerful groundstrokes that have troubled Swiatek throughout their head-to-head. Even when Swiatek found deep returns to break for 4-3, the Pole still had to stave off a break point in the next game before consolidating.
At 5-3, Swiatek battled back from 0-30 down to pick up set points, but Noskova ripped backhand winners on the defending champion’s first two opportunities. However, Swiatek forced an error from the Czech to convert her third set point and clinch the hard-fought one-set lead.
Once Swiatek broke Noskova in the opening game of the second set, Saturday’s test became far more routine than the pair of marathons that preceded it in their rivalry. Swiatek was untroubled the rest of the way and closed out the win after 1 hour and 17 minutes, holding a perfect 4-for-4 break point conversion rate in the match.
Another rising player awaits: In the Round of 16, Swiatek will face No. 13 seed Diana Shnaider, who has barely lost games this week. After her first-round bye, Shnaider beat Katie Volynets 6-1, 6-2, then dispatched Anastasija Sevastova 6-0, 6-0.
This will be Swiatek’s first career meeting against 21-year-old left-hander Shnaider.
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