Pegula and Gauff to Meet in Historic Cincinnati Open Final
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are set to face each other in the final of the Cincinnati Open, marking the first all-American women’s singles final at the tournament in 56 years. The last time two American women competed in the Cincinnati final was in 1970, when Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey.
Pegula secured her spot in the final by overcoming Iga Swiatek in a match that lasted almost three hours. The third seed won 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 against the six-time Grand Slam champion. This victory marked Pegula’s 300th main-draw win and also ended Swiatek’s 10-match winning streak. Pegula noted the challenging nature of the match, describing it as emotionally draining due to the frequent breaks of serve.
Gauff advanced to the final after defeating Sara Bejlek with a score of 6-4, 6-1. The 2023 champion has shown strong form throughout the tournament, especially after dropping her first set. Gauff, at 22 years old, is the third-youngest player in the Open Era to reach her second Cincinnati Open final.
The final match between Pegula and Gauff will be their 10th encounter overall. Pegula currently holds a 5-4 lead in their head-to-head record, including a 3-1 advantage on outdoor hard courts. Gauff has a 1-0 lead in finals against Pegula.
Men’s Final Features Historic Matchup
On the men’s side, Frances Tiafoe and Arthur Fils will compete in the final. Tiafoe defeated fellow American Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-3 to reach this stage. Fils, from France, secured his place by beating Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-4. This final will be the first time two Black players have met in an ATP Masters 1000 final.
Tiafoe expressed his enthusiasm for the historic nature of the match, stating its importance for aspiring young athletes. He hopes for more such finals featuring players of colour. Only two Black men have previously won Masters 1000 titles: American Ben Shelton and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Fils, who previously defeated Tiafoe in three sets last year in Miami, acknowledged the challenge of playing an American in front of a home crowd but expressed his anticipation for the match.
Tournament Details and Prize Money
The singles final for the women’s event is scheduled to conclude play on Stadium Court on Sunday evening, following the men’s singles championship.
In the doubles competition, Marie Bouzkova and Linda Noskova won their final on Saturday. For the singles players, regardless of the final outcome, Pegula and Gauff are projected to maintain their World No. 3 and World No. 4 rankings in the PIF WTA Rankings, respectively.
Pegula is seeking her third title of 2026, and her second on a hard court, following a victory in Dubai. Gauff is aiming for her second championship in Cincinnati. Pegula leads the tour with five finals reached in 2026, holding a 2-2 record in those matches. She has also recorded 17 wins in three sets in tour-level main draws this season, tying her season-best from 2023 and 2025.
Gauff has been in strong form recently against left-handed players. Her last nine finals appearances have been at either Grand Slams, WTA Finals, or WTA 1000 events. The final will begin not before 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Source: bbc.com
