An unforgettable week for the rising star of world tennis. Eighteen-year-old Linda Noskova knocked out six opponents at the Adelaide tourment, including two from the top 10, and sensatiolly made her way from qualification to her first WTA tourment fil. In the fight for the title, she lost to the Belarusian striker Ari Sabalenkova 3:6, 6:7 (4), but heard only praise. “This lady is great at tennis. On the court, I felt that she really was not afraid, ”the winner admitted.
She left the stage with a trophy for the losing filist of the Adelaide Intertiol, but sadness did not haunt her. “When I walked around the hall, I was already thinking about who I would play with in Melbourne,” Linda Noskova smiled at the prospect of the upcoming Australian Open.
In the first week of the season, the 18-year-old girl from Wallachia rose to unprecedented heights. She arrived on the most distant continent as the 102nd player in the world rankings with modest ambitions. “I didn’t actually go into the tourment expecting to make it to the fils or get a chance to win it all,” she laughed.
Even on New Year’s Eve, in the opening qualifying match against An Kalinskaya, she retained the match point. In the main competition, she knocked out Daria Kasatkinova and Uns Dzhabirova from the top 10 players. And perhaps the most valuable campaign win of her life was over former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenkova, who also fled the match. “Awesome tourment. I played very well,” Noskova encouraged.
One step was missing to complete the sensation. However, in the fil, she faced a very difficult caliber, one of the best tennis players on the track. “A very difficult match. Ari played just amazing. I didn’t have many chances. There were break points, but she always got out of them. It was difficult to break through,” Noskova appreciated the defeat in two equal sets.
Former world No. 2 Sabalenkova avoided all three break points in the match, she maged to use only one of the six, which was enough for her to win 6:3, 7:6. Basically, the young Czech could regret the hitch at the beginning of the shortened game. She couldn’t get out of the mess and the 1:5 situation.
Nevertheless, in addition to a beautiful trophy, they will take away new knowledge about their capabilities from Adelaide. “I think if I believe in myself and my game, I can do it. I can definitely play and am currently beating some of the best tennis players in the world. It’s really a wonderful feeling,” Noskova said at a press conference after the fil.
She showed the world not only hard punches, strong physical form, but also a strong head. “Of course, there is still work to be done, there are a lot of dead zones in my game,” she said. “But I would say that I spend some matches due to my mentality. I don’t get too frustrated, I try to follow every ball and finish first. Play an aggressive game.”
In this direction, she wanted to match Sabalenkova, who played cheerfully. And partly she succeeded, as the winner herself admitted.
“He is really good at tennis. This young lady will go through many fils and become a top player. I’m pretty sure it will be a much more important file for her. So I hope for both of us,” said the Belarusian, who won her 11th title in her career in Adelaide.
As a debutante six years her junior in the WTA title fight, she may have had more work to do than she expected.
“He’s really not afraid. He just plays his game. I didn’t feel that she was nervous and gives me easy points. It made a big impression on me,” added Sabalenkova, one of the favorites of the Australian Open.
Noskova will be ranked 56th on Monday’s rankings, but she has yet to qualify and win entry to the first Grand Slam of the season.
“This is another challenge, but of course it would be better if I already participated in the main competition,” she smiled. “But I’m really good at switching quickly in my head. I will try to keep this level for qualifying in Melbourne,” Noskova said decisively, waiting for an unknown Cadian Katherine Sebovova in the first round.
Noskova did not reach the first title. She has a great future, the rival laughed
Linda Noskova’s life tourment (18). Czech in the semi-fil after a hard fight
Source: Blesk