British youngsters met the No 1 seeds in California and were left with a greater understanding of the progress they must make
As Emma Raducanu fought hard to stay alive in the second set of her primetime bout with Iga Swiatek on Tuesday night, she threw all that she had at the undisputed world No 1. Down a break point, Raducanu fired down a heavy combination of forehands that kissed multiple lines. Against almost anyone else, she would have generated an easy short ball to put away.
But not Swiatek. After flitting from side to side at full sprint, she eventually responded with a sliding defensive backhand so deep that it instantly flipped the rally and forced the error. As Swiatek snatched the break and marched to victory, it was a further example of just how hard it is to face her. Not only does she overwhelm the rest of the world with her vicious, heavy groundstrokes off both wings, but she will outrun you, too.