Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday, August 23, to win the Cincinnati Open women's singles title for a second time. The world number four completed the WTA 1000 final in one hour and 14 minutes at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, according to the tournament, EFE and Sky Sports.
The victory gave the 22-year-old Gauff her first title of 2026 and the 12th WTA singles trophy of her career. She also became only the third woman in the Open Era to win multiple Cincinnati titles, joining Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, after previously lifting the trophy in 2023.
Gauff established control by racing to a 5-0 lead in the opening set before taking it 6-2. Pegula recovered from 5-3 down in the second set by breaking serve, but Gauff broke back immediately and closed the match. Sky Sports reported that the champion converted five of her six break-point opportunities.
The meeting paired the world's fourth-ranked player with number three Pegula in Cincinnati's first all-American women's final in 56 years. Pegula reached the championship match by beating defending champion Iga Swiatek, while Gauff eliminated unseeded Sara Bejlek, who had earlier knocked out world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff recorded five straight-set victories during the tournament after dropping the opening set of her first match against Liudmila Samsonova. The result levelled her career series with Pegula at five wins each and followed Gauff's victory over her former doubles partner in last year's Wuhan final. Pegula said afterward that Gauff maintained a high level with few declines, while Gauff credited growing confidence during the week.
The title extends Gauff's run to four consecutive seasons with at least one WTA 1000 trophy and strengthens her preparation for the US Open, which begins August 30. She won Cincinnati and then her first Grand Slam title in New York in 2023, although she cautioned that this week's success does not guarantee another deep run. Both finalists now turn their attention to the season's final major.
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