Coco Gauff has defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula, 6-2, 6-4, to capture her second women’s Cincinnati Open title as she looks ahead to the US Open starting in New York next week.
Arthur Fils of France overcame American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 1-6, 6-0, in the men’s final for his first Masters 1000 title, with Sunday’s decider marking the first time two Black players competed in an ATP Masters 1000 final.
Gauff, who won the 2023 title beating Karolina Muchova and then went on to win her first Grand Slam at the US Open, stormed to a 5-0 lead in the first set before winning it 6-2. Pegula battled back to 5-4 in the second before Gauff closed out the win. Gauff won five of six break points.
The last time two American women played in the Cincinnati final was in 1970, when Rosie Casals beat Nancy Richey.
Pegula’s best finish in Cincinnati came in 2024, when she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
In Saturday’s semifinals, Pegula beat defending champion Iga Swiatek and Gauff defeated Sara Bejlek to set up the first all-American women’s final at the Cincinnati Open in 56 years.
“I think it was a long journey, but I’m happy,” Gauff said after the match. “I think it’s night and day, the player I was last year to now. I don’t think that this is an indicator that I’m going to do well in New York. Just knowing the quality ones that I had this week, hopefully I can use that experience.”
Gauff had five wins in straight sets in Cincinnati.
“I thought she just played at a really high level and didn’t really have many dips,” Pegula said.
“I didn’t really think I played badly. The more you construct the point [against her], the worse it is because she almost likes to run. It was tough today. A dangerous, confident Coco is going to New York.”
The head-to-head series between Gauff and Pegula is now tied at five apiece. Sunday was their second meeting in a final, with Gauff winning in Wuhan last year.
Meanwhile, Fils became the third Black man to win a Masters 1000 title, joining Ben Shelton, who won twice in Canada, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won in Paris in 2008 and Canada in 2014.
At 22 years old, Fils is the youngest French champion in Masters 1000 history. He became the second French player to win a Cincinnati final, joining Guy Forget in 1991.
“Very happy with that,” Fils said. “It’s been a tough last year. I didn’t play the French Open [due to a hip injury]. I lost early in Washington. People think that I’m done. But here we are. I got the title.”
It was the second time Tiafoe has appeared in the Cincinnati Open final, losing to Jannik Sinner in 2024. He was looking to become the first American man to win in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick in 2006.
Tiafoe saved three championship points in the final game before Fils closed out the victory.
The Frenchman had 11 aces and won 71 percent of his points on first serve. He improved to 10-0 in deciding sets this year and 8-0 against American opponents.
Fils also won his only previous meeting with Tiafoe in Miami last year, also in three sets.
“It feels very good to have a trophy next to me, especially Masters 1000,” Fils said. “Never won one before. You just have to stay positive and find a way to make it work. Being positive is going to help me in the next weeks in the US Open.”
