Missed match point causes sour defeat for Hogenkamp

The only time in Richel Hogenkamp’s career that she has reached a WTA tournament quarter-final was in Bastad in 2013. In Rosmalen she was one point away from matching that achievement, but Madison Brengle (WTA-68) managed to pull out the win in an exciting match with 7-5, 5-7, 7-5.

After Brengle missed a few break chances in the second game, she went in the  attack at 3-2 after an unsuccessful slice backhand by Hogenkamp. Brengle used all corners of the court and continued to 5-2.

At that moment Hogenkamp survived a 0-30 disadvantage on her own service and played an excellent return game which she won with a solid backhand return.

The player from Doetinchem leveled to 5-5 and missed an opportunity at 30-30 by putting a lob instead of a winning volley. This choice went wrong and she lost the point and the set went to Brengle.

Nervous game
In the second set it was Hogenkamp who started well with a break on love in the third game after a backhand return winner. At 4-3 she lost her advantage but she immediately had another break opportunity after a backhand error by Brengle.

A nail-biting game ensued. Hogenkamp seemed to easily serve out the set by playing to 40-0 with good tennis, but an accumulation of wrong choices and cheap mistakes followed.

Another three set points were not used and Brengle attacked in her third break chance of the game with a winning backhand.

Hogenkamp did not get upset however, and another break to love followed. This time, serving for the set went well, and coach Raemon Sluiter entered the court for a word of advice.

Matchpoint
The world number 134 had an impressive start in the third set, but Brengle did not give up and quickly fought back to 2-2. Hogenkamp immediately lodged, as she did in the second set, a new break after losing her own service.

Hogenkamp provided herself with a match point on her own service in which she had several chances to decide the match. All slipped away however, and then Brengle made a passing shot to draw even.

The former world number 35 took the lead at 6-5 and easily won the last game.

Brengle awaits a quarter-final match up with either third seed Jelena Ostapenko (WTA-39) from Latvia, or the Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova (WTA-104).