Photo credit: Coco Guaff (Instagram)
Coco Gauff is a Cincinnati Open champion once again.
The fourth-seeded American defeated No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday to claim her second Cincinnati Open women’s singles title. The victory came in the tournament’s first all-American women’s final in 56 years.
Gauff previously won the Cincinnati title in 2023. With her latest victory, she joins Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka as the only women in the Open Era to win the tournament multiple times.
Coco Gauff Dominates Jessica Pegula
Gauff came out aggressively and quickly established control of the final.
The 22-year-old raced to a 5-0 lead in the opening set before Pegula managed to get on the scoreboard. Gauff eventually closed out the set 6-2.
Pegula tried to change the momentum in the second set, but Gauff remained composed. The fourth seed broke Pegula’s serve to finish the match 6-4 and secure the championship.
The win also continues Gauff’s recent success against Pegula. Gauff now leads their head-to-head matchup 4-3, including victories over her fellow American in the 2026 Cincinnati final and Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Gauff Gets First Title of 2026
The Cincinnati championship gives Gauff her first title of the 2026 season and her fourth career WTA 1000 trophy.
The victory also comes at an important point in her season. Gauff has been rebuilding confidence in her game after a difficult 2025 campaign, particularly with her serve.
She arrived in Cincinnati with several strong runs already behind her but had not yet captured a title this year. Her performance in Ohio now gives her plenty of momentum heading into the US Open.
Gauff won the 2023 US Open, making the upcoming Grand Slam especially significant as she returns to New York as one of the tournament’s top contenders.
Pegula Reaches Another Cincinnati Final
Pegula also had an impressive run to the championship match.
The third seed entered the final after defeating defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals. That victory gave Pegula her tour-leading 45th win of the season and the 300th tour-level victory of her career.
Her Cincinnati campaign marked another deep run at the tournament. Pegula previously reached the final in 2024, when Aryna Sabalenka defeated her for the title.
Despite Sunday’s loss, Pegula showed why she remains one of the leading players on the WTA Tour.
Historic All-American Final
The Gauff-Pegula matchup marked the first Cincinnati women’s final between two Americans since 1970.
That year, Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey for the championship. More than five decades later, Gauff and Pegula gave American tennis another memorable final.
Now, Gauff leaves Cincinnati with another trophy and renewed confidence heading into the US Open.
Her latest title also sends a clear message to the rest of the women’s field: Coco Gauff is finding her form at the right time.
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Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, Cincinnati Open, Sky Sports.
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