Coco Gauff beats Jessia Pegula for 2nd Cincinnati Open title

Mason, Ohio witnessed a triumphant return to form for 22-year-old tennis sensation Coco Gauff as she claimed her second Cincinnati Open title on Sunday, Aug. 23 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Gauff beat seasoned competitor Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 in a one-hour, 14-minute match, solidifying her status as a dominant force in women's tennis.

Fifty-six years prior, Rosie Casals had secured the same victory in a similar match, defeating Nancy Richey in straight sets during the Western Tennis Championships. Coincidentally, the same day as Gauff's win, Ken Rosewall managed to snatch the men's title with a grueling three-set victory over Richey's brother, Cliff.

Gauff's path to the championship was smooth sailing, as she had already clinched her fourth WTA 1000 title that week. Her impressive run included a streak of 12 consecutive sets, where she secured 73 out of 105 total games. In their 10th career singles meeting, Gauff, currently ranked World No. 4, asserted her dominance by winning the first five games and applying pressure consistently throughout the match.

This victory marks Gauff's first title since defeating Pegula in the 2025 Wuhan Open, bringing her total career WTA wins to 12. With her impressive performance, Gauff is poised to climb into the top 5 for the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard, heading into the highly anticipated US Open in New York. Pegula, on the other hand, is expected to rise to No. 4 in the rankings following this thrilling encounter.