A very interesting matchup awaits us in Indian Wells as Iga Swiatek takes on Linda Noskova, who ousted her at the Australian Open.
The Polish player played like the reigning world number one in her first match at the 2024 Indian Wells Open, beating Danielle Collins easily in two sets. The two have actually played at the Australian Open earlier this year as well, and oddly enough, that's true for this upcoming matchup as well.
She's going to play Noskova next, another player she played at the Australian Open earlier this year. However, unlike Collins, she lost to the Czech teenager. That's going to be an added motivation for the Polish player, who was very disappointed after losing to Noskova in Melbourne.
They have played twice so far, with the H2H score being 1-1. Obviously, the most recent meeting was earlier this year in Melbourne, which Noskova won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The one before that happened in Warsaw last year, and that one was won easily by Swiatek.
Iga Swiatek | Linda Noskova | |
---|---|---|
1 | H2H | 1 |
1 | Rank | 29 |
22 | Age | 19 |
14-2 | 2024 W/L | 12-4 |
295-68 | Career W/L | 130-60 |
The courts in Indian Wells play much more like those in Warsaw than those in Melborune, so I think this might be a tough one for Noskova.
The Czech player's biggest issue is Swiatek's motivation. I don't think she's the type of player to hold grudges, but she'll be motivated to win this match. She's a competitor, and that Australian Open loss is pretty fresh in her memory.
I expect Swiatek to take this one very seriously and use the conditions in her favor to win the match comfortably. The scoreline should likely look similar to the one in Warsaw—two sets at most, in my humble opinion.
Prediction: Iga Swiatek to win in two sets.