Coco Gauff has sent a strong warning ahead of the US Open after defeating fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 to win the Cincinnati WTA 1000 title.
The world number four dominated the third-ranked Pegula in 75 minutes to claim her first title of 2026 and her first WTA trophy since winning in Wuhan last October.
The victory also secured Gauff her second Cincinnati crown. She previously won the tournament in 2023 before going on to capture her first US Open Grand Slam title later that year.
Gauff’s triumph came in the first all-American WTA final in Cincinnati since Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey in 1970.
The 22-year-old produced an aggressive and composed performance throughout the final, breaking Pegula twice to race into a 4-0 lead and later taking the opening set 6-2 after 34 minutes.
The second set followed a similar pattern as Gauff broke early to establish a 3-0 advantage, forcing Pegula to fight her way back into the contest.
However, Gauff maintained control and converted her first match point to complete the victory and finish 12 days of tennis at the Cincinnati tournament on a high.
Pegula, who had defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek in a hard-fought semi-final, struggled to cope with Gauff’s pace and aggression.
The victory levelled the career head-to-head between the two Americans at five wins apiece. It was also Gauff’s second win over Pegula this season after she defeated her compatriot in the Wimbledon quarter-final.
With the US Open beginning next Sunday, Gauff will head to New York with renewed confidence as she looks to challenge for another Grand Slam title.
