Players with unconventional styles often become talking points in tennis, whether fans admire them or criticize them. Unfortunately for former Top 40 player Madison Brengle, her unique approach drew more criticism than praise. The American veteran faced backlash after using an unusual off-pace serve during her match at an ITF event in Canada.

During her match against Alexandra Vagramov in Vancouver, Brengle was locked in a tight three-set battle. However, the American had gotten a solid 5-2 lead in the third set and had the opportunity to serve out the match. This is where fans noticed the unusual service motion of Brengle, leading to a lot of comical jibes towards the WTA Pro.

Brengle does not have a traditional serve, as she does not bring her racket all the way down to her hip before going for the ball toss; instead, she uses a short backswing. While hitting the ball, her arm does not go for a full forward swing, but she taps the ball to the other side of the net without the usual speed of a normal first serve. However, Brengle’s game is more based on defense than offense, and her off-pace serve helps her get into the rally to build a point.

One could argue that using such a game style has been successful for Brengle, who had her career-best outing in 2015. She reached her only WTA Final in Hobart that year, losing to Heather Watson. She also had a breakthrough run at the Australian Open that year, reaching the fourth round. Brengle could also boast about her exceptional win against Serena Williams, as she beat the 23-time Major champion in Auckland in a three-set classic in 2017, something which would have been considered impossible given her serve and Serena’s return.

Brengle is not the only player on the WTA who has experimented with an off-pace first serve, as players like Sara Errani and Hsieh Su-Wei have also used similar tactics to become successful in their careers. Hsieh reached the Australian Open quarterfinal and was ranked as high as 23 in the world. On the other hand, Errani reached a Grand Slam final with her serve and was ranked No.5 in the world in 2013.

For Brengle, most of her success has come on the ITF and Challenger Tours. However, that did not stop the fans from expressing their incredulity at the American’s style of play.

Fans Have Their Say on Madison Brengle’s Serve

Taking a dig at Brengle’s serve during her ITF match, a fan commented, “Hahaha, what is this?”

Another fan was surprised that opponents still could not get a read on the off-pace serve and that Brengle was still succeeding with this style in the era of power tennis. “And people still lose to her. Lol,” said the fan.

Another user made a slight jibe at the serve motion by saying “trippy motion”, whereas another one made an apt comparison between Brengle and Errani, claiming the American had picked a few things from the Italian. “A few things from Errani”, said the fan.

Another fan pointed out that this was nothing new for Brengle, as the American had always served like this. “She’s always done this”, said the fan.

Though fans have their opinions, Brengle keeps moving strong in 2026. The American does not feature in main-draw events as frequently anymore, but she is still dominating the ITF scene in 2026, having won a title in Pelham and three other runner-up finishes. Having won her match against Vagramov, she will now face rising Australian star Emerson Jones in the next round in Vancouver.