Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 to win the Cincinnati Open, capturing her first title of 2026 and her second in Cincinnati ahead of the US Open.
Key facts
- Gauff beat third seed Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 in the final.
- It is her second Cincinnati Open title and her first title of the 2026 season.
- The win comes just before the US Open.
- Arthur Fils won the men's event, according to the BBC.
Coco Gauff has won the Cincinnati Open, defeating fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 in the final to claim her first title of the 2026 season. It is the second time in her career that Gauff has lifted the Cincinnati trophy.
The victory arrives just ahead of the US Open. Sky Sports described Gauff as “dangerous” heading into the year’s final Grand Slam after she cruised to the title against Pegula, who was the tournament’s third seed.
According to the Guardian, Gauff was at a career crossroads when she left the Cincinnati Open a year ago. She had struggled badly on serve, offering up countless double faults across most of her matches, and had lost confidence in her progress and her game. She believed she needed to make drastic changes to her team before it was too late.
The Guardian reported that it took an enormous amount of resilience, patience and toil, but this week Gauff began to feel the benefit of those efforts. She closed out what the outlet called one of the smoothest tournaments of her career with her best performance of the season, thoroughly outplaying Pegula.
The final was an all-American affair, with Gauff and the third-seeded Pegula meeting for the title. Gauff’s straight-sets win capped a strong week of form as she prepares for the US Open.
On the men’s side, Arthur Fils won the Cincinnati Open event, according to the BBC.
Why it matters
Gauff's title marks a turnaround after a difficult period marked by serving struggles and doubts about her game, and it comes at an ideal moment before the US Open. For fans and rivals, her form makes her a strong contender at the season's final Grand Slam.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score in the Cincinnati Open final?
Coco Gauff beat Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets.
Is this Gauff's first Cincinnati title?
No. It is her second Cincinnati Open title and her first title of the 2026 season.
Who won the men's Cincinnati Open?
Arthur Fils won the men's event, according to the BBC.