Madison Brengle overcame an early deficit to win her second Berkeley Tennis Club Women’s Challenge title.
After dropping the first set to No. 2 seed Yue Yuan of China, the top-seeded Brengle roared back to win the finals 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-2 Sunday afternoon.
Brengle, ranked 60 in the Women’s Tennis Association, took the title in 2019.
“Certainly, her experience got other over the second time,” said Berkeley Tennis Club Director Brendan Curry.
The first set was well over an hour, he said.
“Such long and brutal rallies. Yuan can really hit the ball … and Brengle absorbs space well. She hung in there. She makes you have to beat her no matter what. She wore down the attacker. Even though she lost the first set, she wasn’t going anywhere,” Curry said.
Brengle advanced to the finals after defeating Makenna Jones, 6-2, 6-3, in the first round; Whitney Osuigwe 7-6 (2), 6-4, in the second round; Johanne Christine Svendsen of Denmark, 6-3, 6-0, in the quarterfinals; and Diana Shnaider, 6-1, 6-2, in the semifinals.
Yue, ranked 108 in the WTA, defeated Hannah Viller Moller of Denmark, 6-0, 6-0, in the first round; Elvina Kalieva, 7-6 (4), 6-2, in the second round; Renata Zarazua of Mexico, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinals; and Louisa Chirico, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, in the semifinals to reach the championship match.
The finals matchup “ended up according to the rankings,” Curry said.
Elvina Kalieva and Peyton Stearns defeated Allura Zamarripa and Maribella Zamarripa 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) in a hard-fought doubles finals.
The fourth edition of the International Tennis Federation tournament featured players from over 40 countries.
Berkeleyside is a media sponsor of the tournament.
