The 2023 season is less than two days old, and Czech teenager Linda Noskova is already making waves. The 18-year-old qualifier made a splash on Monday in Round 1 of the Adelaide International 1 with a 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3 upset over No.3 seed Daria Kasatkina.
Playing just her fifth WTA main draw this week, Noskova's win over World No.8 Kasatkina is her best-ever win by ranking. She'd never before faced a Top 10 player, and was previously 0-2 in her young career against Top 20 opponents.
First career top 🔟 win 💪
— wta (@WTA) January 2, 2023
In just her fifth tour-level main draw, 18-year-old qualifier Linda Noskova knocks out No.8 Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-7, 6-3#AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/gH6f3katuu
'A dream come true': Linda Noskova makes her move on tour
Stat of the day: Noskova's previous best win by ranking came last year, on home soil in Prague. There, she beat then-No. 38 Alizé Cornet on her way to the semifinals.
Match management: World No.102 Noskova already overcame two higher-ranked opponents in qualifying: No.58 Anna Kalinskaya and No.43 Anastasia Potapova. She came from a set down, and saved match point, against Kalinskaya—and overcoming that adversity helped her do the same against Kasatkina.
After failing to serve out the match at 6-3, 6-5, Noskova bounced back with aplomb in the decider, and ultimately wrapped up victory in 2 hours, 33 minutes.
She broke Kasatkina eight times overall, hit 57 winners off the ground, and won 21 of the 24 points when she came to net.
Kudermetova cruises past Anisimova in 2023 debut
There was no such trouble, though, for Kasatkina's fellow Top 10 player Veronika Kudermetova in her Round 1 match.
The No.4 seed won the last 10 games in a 6-3, 6-0 rout of American Amanda Anisimova that lasted 75 minutes.
Words from the winner: "I'm really happy to start the new season with a win, especially against Amanda; she's a really good player," Kudermetova said afterwards. "I'm really happy about the start."
Video highlights: Kudermetova def. Anisimova
Kudermetova rounded into form to improve to 2-0 against Anisimova after an even first five games. The two players traded breaks to start the match, and Kudermetova saved a break point in her next service game which would've given Anisimova a 3-1 lead.
Win mode for Kudermetova 😤
— wta (@WTA) January 2, 2023
👀 Up next, Slam champ Andreescu #AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/6hWuboSGA5
Kudermetova took the lead for good at 3-3, when she broke Anisimova's serve on her third break point of the game. The second set was closer than the scoreline indicated, as half of its six games went to deuce.
More first-round highlights: Kanepi def. Sasnovich | Andreescu def. Muguruza
Up next: Kudermetova's next foe is 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, whose comeback from 6-0, 5-2 behind against Garbiñe Muguruza was the story of Day 1 in Adelaide.