Radwanska, ranked fourth in the world and seeking her third title of 2013 after triumphs in Auckland and Sydney, had to battle to subdue her 40th-ranked opponent in two hours and 14 minutes.
After Lepchenko had pocketed the second set to even the match, the two traded breaks in the first two games of the third. Lepchenko appeared to gain the upper hand when she broke Radwanska to love for a 3-2 lead, but Poland’s Radwanska won the next four games to capture the match.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Subscribe or renew your subscriptions to win prizes worth up to RM68,000!
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.