SUMMARY
- Madison Brengle's story on the WTA tour is an example of pure grit and determination.
- Madison Brengle announced heartbreaking news to her fans about her health condition on social media.
Madison Brengle is one of the most experienced players on the WTA tour. She first appeared on the tour in 2007 at the Australian Open as a 15-year-old. Brengle has since been regularly playing on the tour. She was ranked No.35 in 2015 but has not been able to bring back the consistency ever since. Brengle’s health had started getting worse, and she has now shared devastating news with the fans.
The American announced on social media that she would be undergoing surgery in April. Brengle declared that the surgery had to be done since she had been diagnosed with skin cancer. She posted a story on Instagram with the caption, “Unfortunately Ya girl has more skin cancer, surgery again in April, I am Swiss cheese.” The 33-year-old is staying strong despite her health conditions.
Madison Brengle shares she will undergo surgery in April for skin cancer.
Though… she does it with her trademark sense of humor.
Get well soon, Madison. 🫶💪
P.S.
Got to interview her once. And, when I asked for her advice to her younger self, she said, “Don’t mess with your… pic.twitter.com/AxEthWhzIl— Tick Tock Tennis (@TickTockTennis) March 14, 2024
Brengle has had skin issues in the past. Before the 2014 US Open, she seemed to find a strange spot in her leg, forcing her to set up an appointment with a dermatologist. After testing, the spot was surgically removed from her knee. She spent more than a month healing and got ready for the tour. A few months later, she had an impressive performance in the 2015 season.
Brengle reached the final at Hobart for the first time as a qualifier. Her rankings only improved in the following events. She also delivered her best performance at a grand slam by reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open, which pushed her into the top 50 for the first time. In 2023 at the US Open, she was featured in the main draw of the grand slams for the 40th time and hopes to continue her fight this season.
How Madison Brengle led the way in changing doping tests in tennis
The world of tennis is known for its strict adherence to blood tests, as seen in recent cases. The case of Simona Halep over her doping tests is known all over the globe. But before all these cases, in 2018, Brengle set on a mission to change how these tests were conducted on the players. She felt that the tests affected the health of the players and it was abusive to their skin.
The 33-year-old was affected by the needle insertion, which had adverse effects on her skin due to her diagnosed condition. The tests were so rampant that Brengle’s arm was partially paralyzed, which affected her serve during the matches to date. The Dover resident and her Attorney, Peter R. Ginsberg of Moskowitz, Colson, Ginsberg & Schulman, waged a battle against the ITF and WTA.
Breaking: Madison Brengle filed a lawsuit against several parties within Tennis (WTA, ITF, etc) this afternoon, seeking damages for injuries she contends were caused by blood drawings for anti-doping tests.
More details to come soon. pic.twitter.com/Qisp1C6DyV
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) April 9, 2018
American Tennis player Madison Brengle has filed a lawsuit against the WTA and ITF over injuries from doping tests as she suffered from a rare medical condition that reacts to needle injections.#WTA pic.twitter.com/XEd5nIL1JX
— TennisExplorer.com (@TennisExplorer) April 11, 2018
Brengle accused the ITF and WTA of battery, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She was not against the tests but did not support the testing procedures. The case lasted four and a half years until a landmark judgment favored Brengle. In 2023, the ITF started to use non-invasive processes for anti-doping testing.
The World Anti-Doping Agency gave the green signal to blood spot testing. Now, the tests can be done through a finger or heel prick. Brengle’s fight finally ended as her determination changed how tests were conducted in the sport. All fellow athletes will be indebted to Brengle, who stood against multiple organizations in the game to improve the players’ well-being.