Sport · India Bureau
Gauff and Pegula set all-American Cincinnati final after 56-year gap
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff advanced to the Cincinnati Open women's final on Saturday, marking the first all-American championship match at the tournament since 1970.
LSN India ·
Pegula battled back from a set deficit to defeat defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in their semifinal encounter. The American secured her tour-leading 45th victory this year while also recording her 300th career tour-level win. Her comeback victory ended Swiatek's impressive 10-match winning streak.
In the other semifinal, 20-year-old Gauff—the 2023 Cincinnati champion—dominated Czech player Sara Bejlek with a convincing 6-4, 6-1 victory. Gauff's path to the final included notable wins over top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys.
The matchup will be only the second all-American women's final in Cincinnati's history. The last occurred 56 years ago in 1970, when Rosie Casals defeated Nancy Richey. Pegula, whose previous best Cincinnati result was a runner-up finish in 2024 to Sabalenka, expressed enthusiasm about facing a fellow American competitor she respects.
The final will provide Indian tennis fans with an opportunity to witness one of the sport's most competitive and celebrated rivalries between two top American players competing for a prestigious title.