Coco Gauff is a Cincinnati champion once again.
The 22-year-old American defeated fellow U.S. star Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday to capture her second Cincinnati Open title and the 12th singles trophy of her career.
Gauff came out aggressive from the start, racing to a 5-0 lead in the opening set before Pegula could find her footing. The third-seeded Pegula, who had eliminated six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals, struggled to match Gauff’s pace and consistency.
Gauff kept the pressure on in the second set, using her speed, defense and improved serve to keep Pegula from building sustained momentum. She eventually closed out the match in straight sets, earning her first title of the 2026 season and her fourth WTA 1000 championship overall.
The victory also represents a notable turnaround for Gauff heading into the US Open. After a difficult Cincinnati showing last year that included 16 double faults in a loss, Gauff made significant changes to her serve and worked with biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan. Those adjustments have helped produce a more consistent game at a critical point in the season.
And Gauff wasn’t the only Black tennis star celebrating in Cincinnati.
Arthur Fils defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 1-6, 6-0 to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title. Their championship match marked the first all-Black final in Masters 1000 history.
Together, Gauff and Fils gave the Cincinnati Open a historic finish — two young Black players leaving the tournament with championship trophies and momentum heading into the US Open.
For Gauff, however, the bigger story may be what comes next. With her confidence building and her game clicking at the right time, she heads into New York looking like a serious threat to add another Grand Slam title to her résumé.
Source: theGrio
