Sawt Falasteen - 'I don't have time to sulk': Pegula looks for doubles comfort

Pegula and Coco Gauff are the number two seeds for the women's doubles and the Americans are due to face Taiwan's Chan Hao-ching and China's Yang Zhaoxuan for a place in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

"I think it actually helps that I'm playing doubles tomorrow because I don't have so much time to sulk around and kind of be in my feelings," Pegula told reporters after losing 6-4, 6-1 to Victoria Azarenka.

"I saw I'll play third match tomorrow so I've got to go get racquets strung, book practice courts, figure out what time I'm going warm up.

"I'll be back here probably by noon. A quick turnaround."

The Belarusian 24th seed Azarenka outlasted her American opponent in a marathon 64-minute first set before running away with the second during the evening session on Rod Laver Arena.

Pegula was unable to cope with the relentless power of Azarenka's ground game, at times looking bewildered as she slumped to a third consecutive defeat at the quarter-final stage at Melbourne Park.

"Obviously I'm going to be pretty pissed about my match tonight," said Pegula.

"But tomorrow is just another chance to get another win, to get a better feeling, to go back and be in a competitive mindset, hopefully do well in the doubles.

"I still want to win."

Gauff was knocked out of the singles at the last-16 stage by Jelena Ostapenko on Sunday.

Azarenka goes on to face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the semi-final on Thursday.

V.Said--SF-PST