Coco Gauff secured her second Cincinnati Open title on Sunday, delivering a commanding 6-2, 6-4 victory over fellow American Jessica Pegula. The win follows a historic week for the tournament, which featured the first all-American women’s final in 56 years. The last such occurrence took place in 1970, when Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey.
Gauff, who previously won the 2023 title by defeating Karolina Muchova, dominated the early stages of the match with a 5-0 lead in the opening set. Although Pegula managed to narrow the gap to 5-4 in the second set, Gauff successfully closed out the match, converting five of her six break points. Gauff noted that her growth as a player over the past year has been significant, though she remained cautious about using this victory as a direct indicator for her upcoming performance in New York.
Pegula, whose best previous finish in Cincinnati was a runner-up result against Aryna Sabalenka in 2024, praised Gauff’s high level of play. The head-to-head record between the two now stands at five wins apiece. Gauff finished the tournament having won all five of her matches in straight sets.
In the men’s draw, France’s Arthur Fils captured his first Masters 1000 title by defeating American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 1-6, 6-0. The match marked a milestone as the first time two Black players have competed in an ATP Masters 1000 final. At 22, Fils became the youngest French champion in the history of the Masters 1000 series and the second Frenchman to win in Cincinnati, following Guy Forget’s 1991 victory.
Fils dominated the opening set by winning 12 of 13 points to establish a 3-0 lead. Tiafoe responded by controlling the second set with a 3-0 lead of his own. During the break before the deciding set, Tiafoe received treatment for his upper left leg and lower back. Despite the physical discomfort, Tiafoe expressed optimism regarding his fitness for the upcoming US Open.
Fils showcased his resilience throughout the tournament, maintaining an 8-0 record against American opponents this year and a 10-0 record in deciding sets. He finished the final with 11 aces and a 71% success rate on his first serve. Reflecting on his journey, Fils acknowledged the challenges of the past year, including missing the French Open due to a hip injury, and expressed satisfaction in securing the trophy.
For Tiafoe, the loss marked his second appearance in a Cincinnati final, following a defeat to Jannik Sinner in 2024. While he admitted that losing a final is difficult, he remained positive about his performance, noting that he had successfully navigated five matches against high-quality opponents. Both players are now shifting their focus toward the US Open, with Fils emphasizing the importance of maintaining his current momentum. The report also notes that but I’m happy,” Gauff said, i think it was a long journey. The report also notes that hopefully I can use that experience.”, just knowing the quality ones that I had this week. The report also notes that i thought she just played at a really high level and didn’t really have many dips,” Pegula said. The report also notes that the worse it is because she almost likes to run, the more you construct the point (against her). The report also notes that joining Ben Shelton, who won twice in Canada, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won in Paris in 2008 and Canada in 2014, fils is the third Black man to win a Masters 1000 title. The report also notes that he was looking to become the first American male to win in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick in 2006.
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