MELBOURNE, Australia -- Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff had the best seasons of their careers in 2022, but both their seasons ended on a sour note. After qualifying for their first WTA Finals in singles and as a doubles team, Pegula and Gauff each went 0-3 in both events.

If there was any worry that both women would take that disappointment into the 2023 season, Pegula and Gauff have quickly allayed those fears. No.3 Pegula is now  7-1 on the season, with a recent win over No.1 Iga Swiatek. No.7 Gauff is undefeated at 8-0 and won the title in Auckland to start her season. 

How Damar Hamlin is inspiring Pegula at the Australian Open

On Thursday, the two reunited in doubles and secured their first win of the season. 

"Right after we won, Coco was like, 'Oh, we're finally past Fort Worth.'

Australian Open Day 5

"I'm like, 'What? Why were you thinking about that?'

"She was like, 'Well, I wasn't really, but you know what I mean. It's in the past now officially.'"

While Pegula had already turned the page, Gauff confessed she was still smarting from her WTA Finals debut. 

"Singles was in my head," Gauff said. "I pushed it way out obviously with the results in Auckland and here. I was just like, 'One last thing we have to get rid of and Fort Worth will be officially behind us.'"

Tough preseasons have led to noticeable gains for both Americans. Gauff won Auckland with a swarming net game that she credits to her work on her transition game. Already one of the game's best defenders at 18-years-old, Gaufff has injected more pace and aggressive intent from the baseline. 

It seems to be working. She's now 16-0 in sets this season. She's also the only woman to play all three of her matches on Rod Laver Arena. 

"Honestly, truly shocked I've been on Laver like all my matches," Gauff said. "I don't know, maybe because Rafa is out they need somebody else. I feel weird saying that.

"I do thrive on the big courts and I love it. I don't take it for granted because I don't know if it will keep happening, but I'm going to enjoy the moment while it lasts."

Pegula seeing how the other half lives

Gauff isn't surprised to see her doubles partner laying down markers with every match she plays in Melbourne. Pegula has lost just 11 games in her three matches, laying down two 6-0 sets and spending only 3 hours and 35 minutes on court. 

"I think she's always a contender in a Slam. That's just my personal opinion.

"I don't think any top player wants to see her early in a tournament, or any player in general wants to see her early in a tournament."

But even Pegula is astounded by how well she's played to start the season. 

"I'm definitely playing a lot better than I was last year here. A lot better," Pegula said. "I think I just got better on the offseason as well. We worked on a couple things. I felt coming out of offseason like I actually improved.

Pegula, 28, confessed this is unchartered territory for her. 

"I definitely feel like now I can walk out there and I feel like I'm winning before I step out on the court. It's a weird feeling to have that because before, I didn't feel like that. I've always wondered what that felt like.

"Sometimes I do feel, now that I'm on the other side, I can feel the girls kind of panicking a bit, maybe not playing to their full potential because maybe it's a little overwhelming, they feel like they have to do more against me.

"It's a different feeling, for sure."

The key to Pegula's heavy score lines? She's treating every point as one she can win, regardless of score line or circumstance. 

"Whether I'm down Love-30 in the game, Love-40, 40-15 on a return game, I'm not just throwing that game away. I'm making them earn every single point. I think that is definitely what I'm really proud of this week.

"Even in Sydney, I was just not letting people breathe. I'm not checking out on any single point. I think you have to do that if you want to be at a high level.

"The more you do it, even playing against girls that aren't that high, the easier it's going to be when you play a really top player and you really need to dig in and you need it. It's kind of like building a good habit."

Pegula will get a stiff test in her fourth round against 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova. The Czech has been equally impressive through her first week, losing only 14 games.

"I think when I'm playing on, yeah, I think I can beat anybody," Pegula said. "But, again, in the moment, under pressure, with nerves, on a different stage, depending on the conditions that day or how they're playing as well, that can always change and shift throughout a match.

"But, yeah, I feel very confident that my game is at a very, very high level right now."