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To the casual tennis fan, losing just two games against one of the sport's rising stars should satisfy most players.
Key points:
- Pegula beat Marta Kostyuk 6-0, 6-2 in the third round
- She will play 20th seed Barbora Krejčíková in the last 16
- Pegula is a two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist
But for world number three Jessica Pegula, there was fault to find in her 6-0, 6-2 thrashing of young Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in the Australian Open third round.
"I'm kind of a perfectionist, so for me it doesn't take much to have to analyse my game," Pegula told the media at Melbourne Park.
"Even today, I was annoyed. I didn't think I served very well. I had that game to go up 5-1 [in the second set]. I was up 30-0. I missed a couple of first serves. I don't have a problem analysing my game.
"Usually I'm trying to do the opposite because I can over-analyse and be kind of a perfectionist in that way."
Seeking perfection in sport is par for the course among professional athletes.
While adopting such an approach can leave Pegula frustrated, the American knows setting high standards is the only way she will improve her game.
"Being a perfectionist, I think, can be a strength," Pegula said.
"Like everything, there always can be a downside to that. Definitely not being so hard on myself during the matches. At that point, there's really nothing you can change.
"[You can] try to be a perfectionist off the court, but when it comes down to playing, you just have to understand that things aren't always going to go your way."
Pegula's Australian Open title claims
Pegula is not a seed just making up the numbers in Melbourne.
The 28-year-old is a genuine title contender, coming off a consistent 2022 season where she reached the quarterfinals at the Australian, French and US opens.
Her appearance in the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park last year, where she lost to eventual champion Ash Barty, was the second time she had made the last eight at the tournament.
She won four of her five matches for the US during its United Cup victory earlier this month, including a 6-2, 6-2 thumping of world number one Iga Świątek.
Pegula has been in superb form during her Australian Open campaign and is yet to drop a set ahead of playing 20th-seeded Czech Barbora Krejčíková in the last 16.
She is on the same side of the draw as three-time major winner Świątek, and should they both continue their winning form, she will meet the Pole in the semifinals.
The prospect of playing Świątek does not frighten Pegula, especially after her United Cup win, although she is mindful there are other factors at play that may halt her progress towards the final.
"I definitely played very well against Iga," Pegula said.
"But I think I've also played a lot of great matches this week, as well. I've backed up my level. I think I can beat anybody.
"But in the moment — under pressure with nerves, on a different stage, depending on the conditions that day or how they're (opponents) playing — that can always change and shift throughout a match.
"But I feel very confident that my game is at a very, very high level right now."