In Iga Swiatek’s top half, it’s been a difficult first week for the hunted. Incredibly, after only two rounds, she’s the only Top 10 seed left. No.3 Elena Rybakina, No.5 Jessica Pegula and No.7 Marketa Vondrousova are out.

And guess who’s waiting for the World No.1 in Saturday’s third round? Another precocious teenager, Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic, ranked No.50 among Hologic WTA Tour players. At first glance, this might not seem a formidable obstacle, but Swiatek, quite frankly, is lucky to be alive.

Swiatek needed more than three hours to subdue Danielle Collins in a second-round match, down two breaks in the third. This, after digging out a first-set tiebreak over Sofia Kenin in the opening match.

Could this match against the 19-year-old Noskova, the first night match Saturday in Rod Laver Arena, represent something of a breather?

“Well, no,” Swiatek told reporters, “because I don’t know how Linda is going to play, how the match is going to look. I don’t mind actually that it was intense because I remember also when I started the tournament with some easy matches, then I felt I was a little bit rusty when the tough moments came.

“She’s also playing really good and really fast. I’ll be ready.”

In their only previous match, Swiatek was a 6-1, 6-4 winner five months ago in the Warsaw quarterfinals.

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In the wake of her success, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Swiatek is only 22 years old herself. A win over Noskova would be her 19th in a row, going back to a torrid 2023 finish. Swiatek now stands 70-15 in Grand Slams, 33-9 in major hard-court matches and a tidy 17-5 at the US Open. She’s intent on surpassing her best result here, the semifinals in 2022.

Since the turn of the century, the top seed has always reached the third round of the Australian Open and never lost this match. Swiatek has fallen to only two teenagers in her career, Dayana Yastremska at the Billie Jean King Cup in 2019 and last year to Coco Gauff at the Cincinnati Masters. Both are still alive in this draw.

Noskova is another of those gifted players the Czech Republic continues to produce. She could become the second Czech teen to reach the fourth round here, following Linda Fruhvirtova’s run last year. It’s been 15 years since 19-year-old Petra Kvitova took down World No.1 Dinara Safina at the 2009 US Open.

Noskova has won six of seven matches this year, reaching the semifinals in Brisbane.

Since 2000, the top seed has reached at least the fourth round of the Australian Open. Swiatek, already wise in the ways of these fluid fortnights, is taking nothing for granted.

“Like any champion would say to you, basically most of the times they haven’t felt comfortable throughout the whole two weeks of the Grand Slam,” she said. “We’ve seen many tournaments where, Novak [Djokovic] … it seemed like he’s not winning too easily. I also saw Rafa [Nadal] in some tournaments doing that. 

“I’m just trying to take an example from that and not panic so early.”

More to watch on Day 7

A sparkling do-over

The second match of the day in Margaret Court Arena might be the best on Saturday’s schedule. It’s No.11 Jelena Ostapenko versus No. 18 Victoria Azarenka. Looking for a precedent? look no further than 15 days ago in Brisbane.

These two Grand Slam champions played in the Brisbane quarterfinals, with Azarenka winning 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 -- in a marvelous match that ran 2 hours, 30 minutes. Azarenka served 16 aces and only two double faults, saving seven break points. The difference in the third set: Azarenka stroked five aces, while Ostapenko had five double faults. 

Azarenka, a two-time champion here, leads the head-to-head series 3-0. She’s five of six to start the year and the next win will be her 50th at the Australian Open.

Ostapenko has enjoyed her time in Melbourne, too. The 2017 Roland Garros winner is into her fifth third round here, more than any other major. A year ago, she reached the quarterfinals. She’s coming off a title in Adelaide and has won seven consecutive matches.

Quietly efficient

While returning mothers Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki drew a lot of attention heading into this tournament, Elina Svitolina has been multitasking for the better part of a year now. She reached the 2023 Wimbledon semifinals only nine months after giving birth to daughter Skai.

After Aryna Sabalenka, no one has been more efficient than the No.19 seed. Svitolina needed only 2 hours and 4 minutes to defeat Taylah Preston and Viktoriya Tomova. Now, it’s Viktorija Golubic, who knocked out No.15 Veronika Kudermetova in the first round.

Head-to-head, Svitolina leads 1-0.

Chasing a berth in Week 2

Emma Navarro and Sloane Stephens -- two of four Americans left in the women’s draw -- are at opposite ends of the experience spectrum, but both keen to reach the fourth round.

Navarro, the No.27 seed, is playing in her first Australian Open main draw. The 22-year-old takes on qualifier Yastremska, who upset Vondrousova in the first round. The two have never played.

The 30-year-old Stephens, whose best result here came 11 years ago, reaching the semifinals, is up against Anna Kalinskaya. 

Head-to-head: 1-all.

Saturday’s schedule of play

Rod Laver Arena

12 p.m. start

(12) Qinwen Zheng vs. Wang Yafan

Followed by: (WC) Juncheng Shang vs. (2) Carlos Alcaraz

Not before 7 p.m. 

(1) Iga Swiatek vs. Linda Noskova

Followed by: (6) Alexander Zverev vs. Alex Michelsen

Margaret Court Arena

12 p.m. start

(12) Tommy Paul vs. Miomir Kecmanovic

Followed by: (11) Jelena Ostapenko vs. (18) Victoria Azarenka

Not before 7 p.m. 

(3) Daniil Medvedev vs. (27) Felix Auger-Aliassime

Followed by: (19) Elina Svitolina vs. Viktorija Golubic

John Cain Arena

11 a.m. start

(27) Emma Navarro vs. (Q) Dayana Yastremska

Not before 1 p.m. 

(21) Ugo Humbert vs. (9) Hubert Hurkacz

Not before 5 p.m.

(11) Casper Ruud vs. (19) Cameron Norrie