Coco Gauff successfully defended her dominance at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday, defeating fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 to claim her second title at the tournament. Gauff, who previously won the event in 2023 by beating Karolina Muchova, displayed clinical form by storming to a 5-0 lead in the opening set. Although Pegula managed to narrow the gap to 5-4 in the second set, Gauff maintained her composure to close out the match, successfully converting five of her six break point opportunities.
This victory marked the first all-American women’s final at the Cincinnati Open in 56 years, a feat not seen since 1970 when Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey. To reach the final, Gauff had defeated Sara Bejlek, while Pegula secured her spot by overcoming defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. Reflecting on her performance, Gauff noted the significant growth in her game over the past year, though she remained cautious about using this win as a direct indicator for her upcoming performance in New York. The win brings the head-to-head record between Gauff and Pegula to a 5-5 tie.
Pegula, whose best previous finish in Cincinnati was a runner-up result against Aryna Sabalenka in 2024, praised Gauff’s high level of play. She noted that Gauff’s ability to cover the court makes it difficult to construct points, describing her opponent as a dangerous and confident player heading into the US Open.
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 was a historic milestone, representing 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 the Cincinnati title, following Guy Forget’s success in 1991.
Fils joins an elite group as only the third Black man to win a Masters 1000 title, following Ben Shelton and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Frenchman dominated the early stages, winning 12 of 13 points to establish a 3-0 lead in the first set. Despite Tiafoe’s resurgence in the second set, where he rolled to a 3-0 lead, Fils regained control in the decider. The victory maintained Fils’ perfect record this year in deciding sets at 10-0 and his 8-0 record against American opponents.
Tiafoe, who was seeking to become the first American male to win in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick in 2006, struggled with physical discomfort during the match. He required massage treatment on his lower back and upper left leg during the break before the third set. While he acknowledged that his hip was bothering him, he expressed confidence that he would be ready for the US Open in a week. This was Tiafoe’s second Cincinnati final, having lost to Jannik Sinner in 2024.
Fils, who had previously defeated Tiafoe in Miami last year, credited his ability to stay positive for his breakthrough victory. After a challenging year that included missing the French Open due to a hip injury and an early exit in Washington, the young champion expressed his satisfaction in securing the trophy. Tiafoe, despite the loss, reflected on a productive week, noting that he had played five high-quality matches against tough opponents. 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 didn’t really think I played bad. 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.
