By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, March 10, 2024
Iga Swiatek roared through 10 consecutive games dismantling Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-0 to charge into the BNP Paribas Open round of 16.
Photo credit: Michael Owens/Getty
Deficits don’t deter Iga Swiatek.
One point from facing a 2-5 hole today, Swiatek stormed through decisive roll reversal.
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An assertive Swiatek roared through 10 consecutive games dismantling Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-0 to charge into the BNP Paribas Open round of 16.
World No. 1 Swiatek avenged her 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Noskova in the Australian Open third round last January.
"I was thinking about [the Australian Open loss], because basically we analyzed it after Australian Open and we focused more on what I did wrong," Swiatek said. "Because we were before, two weeks of training before tournaments in Middle East, so we talked about this match a lot. But honestly, this time it was much smarter to think about how to just play against Linda rather than focusing on my mistakes from that match.
"But still, my coach kind of watched it because it's like the best material to have tactics based on. But I wouldn't say it impacted me like in any negative way. I was kind of motivated to just play better and not do the same mistakes but to improve my game in some aspects."
Through two matches in the desert, Swiatek has dispensed two bagels and dropped just seven games total, raising her 2024 record to 16-2.
“For sure it was really intense at the beginning,” Swiatek told Andrew Krasny afterward. “But I was looking for my chances to break back.
“I was pretty sure if I am going to stay positive and calm the chances are going to come. So I’m happy I was ready in proper movement to even the score and then lead even.”
The powerful Pole turned the match around serving at 2-4. Noskova made a spinning stab return, recovered and blasted a backhand pass down the line for double break point.
Hitting a couple of forehand winners, Swiatek saved both break points and denied a third earning a hard-fought hold for 3-4.
That stubborn stand sparked Swiatek through 12 straight points as she transformed a 2-4 deficit into a 5-4 lead with back-to-back-love games.
The 19-year-old Noskova is a clean ball striker who possess a powerful compact backhand. The Czech teenager squandered a 40-15 lead then sailed a forehand sitter long to face set point in the 10th game.
Noskova, who had some success early in the set playing the drop shot, hit a backhand drop shot that sat up. Swiatek swooped in and belted a backhand winner down the line to take the opening set.
Taking that tense set empowered Swiatek, who sped through a second love break for a one set, 2-0 lead.
Swiatek won 12 of 18 points played on Noskova’s second serve and exploited seven double faults from the Czech wrapping up a revenge win in 72 minutes.
The 2022 Indian Wells champion Swiatek is bidding to become the first top seed to take the BNP Paribas Open title since Victoria Azarenka in 2012.
“For sure the conditions here are pretty dry air; it’s a nice challenge so I have to take care of these adjustments and really be focused,” Swiatek said. “It's a great place to be. There’s a reason why this is the best tournament outside of the Grand Slams, I always loved to come back here. I feel pretty great.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion will face Yulia Putintseva for a quarterfinal spot.
The feisty Putintseva beat 18th-seeded Madison Keys 6-4, 6-1 for her first Indian Wells round of 16 appearance.