By Adrianna Outlaw | Thursday, April 9, 2015
Andrea Petkovic swept Madison Brengle, 6-4, 6-4, to score her eighth straight win in Charleston and reach the tournament quarterfinals.
Photo credit: @FamilyCircleCup
Andrea Petkovic took medication for an apparent upset stomach after just three games of play today.
The reigning Charleston champion calmed a queasy stomach and tricky Madison Brengle, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the Family Circle Cup quarterfinals for the second straight year.
WTA: Kovinic to Face Jankovic in Charleston
The third-seeded German will face either 2007 Charleston champion Jelena Jankovic or qualifier Danka Kovinic for a semifinal spot.
No. 5 seed Angelique Kerber crushed No. 83 Lara Arruabarrena, 6-3, 6-0, to reach her first quarterfinal since Sydney in January.
It was Petkovic's eighth straight win in Charleston, but it did not come easy.
After the trainer gave her a tablet for her stomach issues, Petkovic settled in and got right back to work. She held serve and when Brengle began hitting her forehand shorter in the court, Pektovic pounced. A forehand winner down the line gave her the break and a 3-2 advantage.
Petkovic made the break stand up. She served out the first set at love to snatch a one-set lead.
The 43rd-ranked Brengle earned seven break points, compared to three for her opponent. But Brengle converted just one of those seven break points, while Petkovic converted all three of her break-point chances.
Frustrated by a few funky bounces off the Har-Tru court, Brengle lost her range at the wrong time, missing a drive down the line then sailing an inside-out forehand wide to donate the break and a 3-2 second-set lead. Petkovic quickly consolidated for 4-2.
A sharp forehand pass down the line from the German gave her a second break and a 5-2 advantage. Aside from the upset stomach, Petkovic's biggest issue came when she dropped serve at love trying to serve out the match. Petkovic, who won 15 of 19 net trips, regained her aggression and converted her second shot at serving it out.