Madison Brengle

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Madison Brengle’s quest to qualify for the U.S. Open is off to a solid start.

Brengle cruised in her first-round qualifier, defeating Gabriella Taylor of Great Britain in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday night.

Brengle plays Tereza Smitkova in the second round today. The 28-year-old Dover native has met Smitkova twice in their careers and is 1-1 against her.

The pair first faced off in a qualifier for the 2014 Australian Open which Brengle won 7-5, 6-2. Smitkova, a 23-year-old from the Czech Republic, defeated Brengle in the final of a Wimbledon qualifier, also in 2014, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Smitkova is ranked No. 239 in the world.

Brengle was seeded third in the qualifying tournament. She is the highest seed remaining after Zheng Saisai and Katie Butler each were knocked out in Wednesday’s first round.

If Brengle wins today she will face the winner of Mandy Minella-Anna Kalinskaya in the final round of their section with a U.S. Open bid on the line.