Pegula's demanding path to the final could leave her vulnerable, while Gauff enters with greater freshness and a perfect record against fellow Americans this season.
Gauff Looks To End Her WTA 1000 Final Struggles
- Coco Gauff has lost four of her last five finals at WTA 1000 events.
- She has a perfect 8–0 record against fellow Americans in 2026.
- Jessica Pegula has a 4–4 record in finals at WTA 1000 events.
- She has a 7–5 record against Top 5 opponents.
HTH - Jessica Pegula leads 5-4
| Year | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wimbledon | QF | Grass | Gauff | 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 2025 | WTA Finals | — | Hard | Pegula | 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4 |
| 2025 | Wuhan | F | Hard | Gauff | 6-4, 7-5 |
| 2024 | WTA Finals | — | Hard | Gauff | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 | Berlin | SF | Grass | Pegula | 7-5, 7-6(2) |
| 2023 | WTA Finals | SF | Hard | Pegula | 6-2, 6-1 |
| 2023 | Montreal | QF | Hard | Pegula | 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 |
| 2023 | Eastbourne | QF | Grass | Pegula | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 2022 | Dubai | 1R | Hard | Pegula | 6-4, 6-4 |
Coco Gauff Eyes Her First Title of the Season
Coco Gauff defeated Sara Bejlek comfortably in straight sets to reach the final in Cincinnati, 6-4, 6-1. She lost her serve twice but converted six of the seven break points she created during the match.
She has now become the third-youngest player in the Open Era to reach the Cincinnati final, after Evonne Goolagong (1973) and Vera Zvonareva (2006).
She has posted six semifinal-or-better results this year, including this week. However, she has lost both of her finals this season, falling to Aryna Sabalenka in Miami and Elina Svitolina in Rome, and is looking for her first title since Wuhan last year.
Gauff has a 3-4 record in WTA 1000 finals and an 11-5 record in tour-level finals overall, with four of her five defeats coming against Top 10 opponents.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Age | Born 13 March 2004 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 4 |
| Career High | No. 2 (10 June 2024) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 4 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 10 |
Pegula's Resilience Carries Her Into the Final
Jessica Pegula moved into the final in Cincinnati after defeating Iga Swiatek in three sets, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. She trailed 1-3 in the deciding set before fighting back to seal the match.
With this win, she became the third-oldest finalist in Cincinnati in the Open Era, behind Svetlana Kuznetsova (2019) and Serena Williams (2014-15).
The American has continued to produce strong results throughout the season, winning at least two matches in 12 of her 14 events this year and posting 11 quarterfinal-or-better results, including this week.
This is her fifth final of the year. She won her first two in Dubai and Charleston but lost her most recent two finals to Linda Noskova in Berlin and Alexandra Eala in Washington.
She has played eight finals at WTA 1000 level and won four of them, with her record in North America standing at 3-2.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Age | Born 24 February 1994 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 3 |
| Career High | No. 3 (24 October 2022) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 5 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 11 |