Coco Gauff defeats Jessica Pegula to claim Cincinnati WTA 1000 title

Coco Gauff secured the Cincinnati WTA 1000 trophy by defeating Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4, delivering her inaugural title of the 2026 season. The world No. 4 player had not won a tournament since her October triumph in Wuhan and had previously fallen short in the finals at Miami and Rome. Gauff's victory gave her a second Cincinnati crown, the first of which came in 2023 and preceded her first US Open win that same year.

The final was the first all-American showdown at the Cincinnati event since Rosie Casals beat Nancy Richey in 1970. Pegula, fresh from a win over defending champion Iga Swiatek, could not match Gauff's speed and aggression, falling behind early in both sets. The win evened their career head-to-head record at five wins each, and Gauff will travel to New York riding a wave of confidence for the upcoming US Open.