HOT SHOT: Swiatek wows in match of the future with Osaka

Naomi Osaka's mission to refocus her season this US Open Series has been off to a successful start so far, but her first tournament back on the hard courts was almost cut short by Polish teenager Iga Swiatek.

Swiatek, who won the Wimbledon girls' singles title in 2018 and reached the fourth round of Roland Garros this year, gave Osaka a tough fight in the third round of Toronto on Thursday. The world No. 2 would win, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

The 18-year-old still hit what Osaka herself called the "shot of the match," a running, curling forehand pass down the line.

Despite the challenge, Osaka looked oddly at ease the entire match, taking joy in a normally difficult situation. Swiatek, too, didn't seem to mind the battle, even though she was on the losing end.

They also went back and forth on Twitter after the loss, indicating that, although Swiatek could be poised to join Osaka as a star of the WTA, there's no bitter rivalry in sight.

Osaka's quarterfinal match, on Friday night, though, will have a more complicated tinge to it, as she'll be playing Serena Williams for the first time since their US Open final.

The 21-year-old is 2-0 against Williams, having won in last year's Miami Open and US Open without dropping a set. Osaka will return to No. 1 ranking next week, with Ashleigh Barty and Karolina Pliskova both out of Toronto.