Amanda Anisimova admits the struggle is real balancing her perfectionist tendencies with reason as she enters the business end of this year’s Australian Open.
The more matches the world No.4 contests, however, the more rational she finds this perspective becomes.
On Monday, the American completed the career set of Grand Slam quarterfinals at Melbourne Park following a 7-6(4) 6-4 victory over China’s in-form Wang Xinyu.
In a first-time meeting between the pair, it was impressive but far from perfect by the heavy-striking Anisimova’s own standards.
Crucially though it kept her campaign for a third straight Grand Slam final on track.
“I feel like I was really able to use my serve to my advantage today. Normally it's the opposite, that my game from the baseline kind of saves me and then my serve is kind of struggling sometimes, but today I feel like my serve was really helping me out, especially in key moments,” Anisimova said.
“Yeah, I think my mentality has also improved a lot. Like, really tough conditions again today. It was really hot. Just being able to stay focused, stay positive, really give myself good body language was really helpful. Yeah, I've been working a lot on it.
The 46th-ranked Wang had already taken down big-hitting seeds Jelena Ostapenko and Linda Noskova to book her maiden Australian Open fourth round and locked at 3-all in the opening set, it was her taking the initiative.
Her average forehand speed of 120km/h was 2km/h faster than Anisimova’s while her average backhand speed of 124km/h was 9km/h heavier.
With a sizeable contingent of Chinese fans willing her on, Wang was finding her spots well on serve, but at 4-5 the pressure compounded.
A double fault and backhand error gave her opponent a set point, which she managed to fend off with a body-jamming serve and she stayed alive with a perfectly executed drop shot.
A broken shoe was a momentary distraction for Anisimova but following a quick switch, she found her best when she needed it most in the tiebreak, ripping her signature backhand at Wang’s feet to claim it after 51 minutes.
The discarded footwear later made its way to a delighted fan in the stands.
“I need to get a new pair of shoes, but it’s the second shoe I’ve broken this week and it’s the first time it’s happened in my life,” Anisimova said.
“My shoe was about to fall off. I didn’t let it really distract me. I just had to change it quickly. Thank God, I was the one serving. Hopefully they enjoy my right shoe.”
Following three successive breaks at the beginning of the second set, Wang called for the physio for a right leg injury.
The break in play was enough to snap the string of breaks, and back-to-back aces helped Anisimova close to within two games of the match.
Wardrobe malfunction crisis averted and a dangerous opponent subdued, 27 winners and 27 unforced errors left room for improvement but acknowledgement she had broken fresh ground after three previous fourth-round showings.
Pegula is next up after she earlier ended the reign of the defending champion.
Anisimova has yet to beat her fellow American in three attempts.
“She can challenge any of the top players. She's obviously at the top for a reason,” she said.
“But yeah, I mean, I feel like I always have a chance against anyone. It's not really in my head, I feel like every match is new and different. I think the fact that I've never beaten her before is an extra challenge for me.”