2018 Champion, Top Seed Madison Brengle Shows Off Midland Mettle With Dominant Win to Reach Dow Tennis Classic Quarterfinals
MIDLAND, Mich. (Nov. 3, 2021) - By: Thomas Cluck
Wednesday at the Dow Tennis Classic saw quite possibly the tournament’s most impressive performance of the week so far and it was no surprise who it came from: the top seed and 2018 Midland champion Madison Brengle. The Delaware native and world number 71 was ruthless in her near-perfect 6-2, 6-0 rout of fellow American Sachia Vickery, booking her spot in the quarterfinals on Friday in just 49 minutes of play.
“I feel like I did everything well today. I moved well, I served pretty solidly, and I feel like I had good depth from the ground. Everything was just solid,” said Brengle.
When asked where she would like to improve or may have put just a foot wrong, it was tough to find anything but Brengle, always the perfectionist like any pro, still had things she wanted to work on.
“I missed a couple volleys today and I’m trying to work on moving forward a little more. I vollied really well actually in my first match but today I missed a few so I just want to keep moving forward and playing aggressively,” commented the American.
Brengle clearly loves playing here in mid-Michigan and though it’s been a couple years since her triumph in the finals in 2018 over her countrywoman Jamie Loeb, she still has fond memories of the week.
“I love playing here. I won it before when I had the flu,” recalled Brengle. “I’m just happy to be here and healthy.”
Up next for the former winner will be the seventh seed, Lizette Cabrera of Australia, who overcame the always-solid Kurmi Nara of Japan in a three-setter this afternoon 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to book a last eight duel with the number one seed.
Two more players booked their spots in the quarterfinals as young American Katrina Scott cruised past countrywoman Catherine Harrison 6-3, 6-1 while another all-American showdown today went the way of the feisty “Little Giant” Danielle Lao, a former USC Trojan, defeating Alexa Glatch 6-2, 6-4 to earn her spot in the elite eight.
Thursday’s action sees 2019 winner Caty McNally of Cincinnati back in action in her second match against another top American junior Elvina Kalieva while the second seed Misaki Doi of Japan headlines the evening session on Stadium court.