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The 2024 Australian Open has witnessed several shocking upsets, with title favorites Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina's early exits, causing an upheaval in the top half of the women's draw.
Top seed and four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek suffered a shock defeat to Linda Noskova in the third round. Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina, the runner-up last year, was upset by Anna Blinkova following the longest match-tiebreak in Grand Slam singles history.
Fifth seed Jessica Pegula lost to Clara Burel in the second round, while 14th seed Daria Kasakina lost to Sloane Stephens. Former Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Ostapenko also failed to reach the quarterfinal.
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As such, a surprising list of contenders will battle it out for a spot in the final of the Australian Open from the top half of the draw. Linda Noskova and Dayana Yastremska have booked their spots in the final eight and will square off for a place in the semifinals.
The winner between 12th seed Zheng Qinwen and Oceane Dodin, and 26th seed Jasmine Paolini and Anna Kalinskaya, will join Noskova and Yastremsk in the quarterfinals.
With Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Barbora Krejcikova or Marta Kostyuk set to reach the final from the bottom half of the draw, fans were shocked at the unexpected developments in the top half.
Many criticized Iga Swiatek for her loss, lamenting her missed opportunity to win her maiden Australian Open title:
"Swiatek should be ashamed of herself for missing this opportunity," a fan commented.
"What a fumble... No words," another fan chimed in.
Another fan expressed a similar sentiment regarding Elena Rybakina.
"I'm so so mad at Elena now," the fan posted.
Below are a few more reactions from fans on X:
"Iga Swiatek has not played well in Australia, that's in her head now" - Lindsay Davenport
Iga Swiatek has competed at the Australian Open six times, going 17-6. However, she has advanced past the fourth round only once, reaching the semifinals in 2022.
Following the Pole's third-round exit this year, Lindsay Davenport suggested that the World No. 1 isn't comfortable playing in Melbourne, considering her limited success.
"I think it really goes to show, when she (Iga Swiatek) won the US Open, she was so emotional right? Do you remember?
"She wasn't comfortable playing in New York, and she thought that was her greatest triumph. I don't know if it's something about playing in a hardcourt Major or what, but she has not played well in Australia," she said.
Davenport also expressed her belief that Swiatek had internalized the thought of not performing well at the Australian Open.
"I think that's in her head now, and she's trying to talk herself out of it through this whole Australian swing saying ‘Oh no, I'm playing. I am feeling good.’ Really Danielle Collins had that (second round) match, right? And Iga being able to get through that," she added.
