CINCINNATI/WASHINGTON, August 24, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
What a difference a year can make in the life of a tennis player. Just ask Coco Gauff.
A year ago, Gauff was in tears after being banished in the quarterfinal round of the Cincinnati Open by Jasmine Paolini of Italy. Her game was a mess – weakened by an unreliable serve that produced an abundance of double faults and by an ineffective forehand. She went to New York City to regroup her team and repair her game at the US Open. After beginning with a trio of wins, she fell in the fourth round to Naomi Osaka in a match-up of former US Open champions.
Fast forward to this week in southern Ohio, where Gauff was seeded fourth in the WTA 1000 event that was filled with the best players in women’s tennis. Round by round, Gauff began to knock them off: Liudmila Samonova of Russia, Ann Li of the United States, Marie Bouzkova of Czechia, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine and Sara Bejlek of Czechia.
Elsewhere, top seeds Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and Iga Swiatek of Poland were eliminated.
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After Gauff’s impressive win over the fast-rising 20-year-old Czech Bejlek in Saturday’s semifinal round, it set up an all-American final with World No. 3 Jessica Pegula, a sometimes doubles partner for the World No. 4 Gauff.
By the conclusion of their 74-minute title match Sunday night on P & G Stadium Court at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, Gauff won her 40th match of the season, 6-2, 6-4, over Pegula. It was Gauff’s first title of the year – her 12th overall – and it ended a title drought of more than 10 months. She became a two-time Cincinnati Open champion, joining Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka and it marked the fourth-straight year that Gauff has won a WTA 1000 title.
2023 🏆⏩🏆 2026
Champions are built different 🙌 @CocoGauff #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/JqSJEDY6NF
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 24, 2026
Gauff previously won the Cincinnati title in 2023, the same year she went on to win her first major title at the US Open. With her one-sided title victory against Pegula, Gauff improved to 9-0 against fellow Americans this season. The victory leveled Gauff’s head-to-head against Pegula at 5-all.
Against Pegula, Gauff never trailed. She opened up a 5-0 lead in the opening set. Although she failed to serve out the match in the second set, ahead 5-3, Gauff broke Pegula at love to wrap up the title triumph.
Gauff won 67 percent (18 of 27) of her first-serve points, converted five of six break points and outpointed her opponent 62-48.
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During her champion’s speech after receiving the Rookwood Cup trophy, Gauff, 22, praised the 32-year-old Pegula.
“You’re an incredible player. That goes without saying,” Gauff said. “Playing you is always tough. Today, all the balls were going in on my side. But I don’t like seeing you on the other side of the court. But I like playing with you. …
“When I first came on tour, she was one of the few players that was nice to me,” Gauff added. “That’s always stuck a long way with me and my family. I have so much respect for you. It’s an honor to share the court with you once again. Hopefully we can run it back a couple times.”
Shining star 🌟 #CincyTennis | @CocoGauff pic.twitter.com/4ckL3yXcpO
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 24, 2026
By the numbers
The Coco Gauff-Jessica Pegula title match was just the second all-American final at Cincinnati since 1970, when Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey.
“Quotable …”
“It was not fun to play against [Coco]. I didn’t even think I played bad.”
– Finalist Jessica Pegula of the United States, during her trophy ceremony speech after losing the Cincinnati title to Coco Gauff.
