Defending Champion Radwanska Bounced in Korea
Top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska was defeated at the Kia Korea Open on Friday, falling to American Varvara Lepchenko 7-6(4), 2-6, 2-6. The fifth-seed fought off a loss in the first set tiebreaker to cruise through the final two sets and beat Radwanska for the second time this year.
She converted three of four break points in the final set, and nine overall, to prevent Radwanska from defending her title. Both players’ struggled a bit with their respective serves as Lepchenko won 56 percent of her service points, compared to just 44 percent for Radwanska.
The upset puts Lepchenko into the semifinals and a matchup with fellow American Christina McHale, as the New Jersey native knocked off Magdalena Rybarikova 6-2, 2-0 after Rybarikova retired during the second set.
The other semifinal will feature Maria Kirilenko and Karolina Pliskova. Kirilenko will be in her first semifinal in 17 months after she defeated the sixth-seeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-3 on Friday. The Russian took advantage of 21 double faults from Kanepi, and converted 10 break points to win the three-setter.
Pliskova took care of American Nicole Gibbs, who was playing in her first career quarterfinal. The second-seeded Pliskova cruised to the 6-3, 6-4 victory thanks to seven aces and five break points.
