[12] Petra Kvitova (CZE) vs. [95] Madison Brengle (USA)
Brengle was once ranked as high as number forty; however, now she is ranked ninety-five and is hanging out on the ITF Tour these days. Surprisingly, she had a winning record coming into this match against Kvitova, 2:1; yet, this was grass and Wimbledon, where Kvitova was the champion twice before. This is a different Kvitova though, a left hand knife injury suffered during a home invasion late last year had kept her off the Tour until recently. Although she won her second tournament since her return (Birmingham on grass), she felt she was not ready to compete at the level required to win a Major.
Despite the fans and public projecting their wants and desires on to her, telling her she was one of the favorites, Kvitova was insistent in denying that possibility. In her in-studio interview on ESPN post her round one match victory, she said “people are crazy” when told she was a favorite. Apparently the Czech knew better than everyone that she was not ready, emotionally or physically, to go the distance at a Major so soon after her return.
Brengle is known for playing an unorthodox style of tennis and she threw everything at Kvitova today to disrupt her rhythm and kept the big Czech moving a lot, which eventually took a toll. Brengle won 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 and now the pressure is on for Brengle. How far can she take this momentum? Daniil Medvedev defeated Stan Wawrinka on Monday in the first round and lost today in the second round. There is an emotional letdown that comes after a big win and in the next round many players struggle to get motivated and end up losing.
SOURCE OF IMAGE: Bing search/Zimbio
