Coco Gauff beats Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 for Cincinnati Masters title

Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 to win the Cincinnati Masters title in an all-American final. The 22-year-old American secured her second WTA 1000 crown after taking control early and recovering from a brief late setback.

Gauff raced into a 5-0 advantage in the opening set before Pegula managed to get on the scoreboard. She continued to dictate the contest in the second set, moving within one game of victory at 5-2.

The match was not finished immediately because Gauff could not serve out the title at that stage. She responded by breaking Pegula without conceding a point in the following game, then completed the 6-2, 6-4 win.

The triumph places Gauff alongside Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka as two-time champions of the WTA 1000 event. It also gives her a significant boost before the US Open, where both finalists are due to compete when the tournament begins at Flushing Meadows on Sunday.

Gauff said her confidence grew through each match as she relied on the work completed in practice. She also stressed that the week had shown her ability to solve difficult matches when her best tennis was not always available, while still producing the high level she displayed during the tournament.

Pegula accepted the defeat after a demanding run of 13 matches across the previous four weeks. She had won 10 of those matches and said she still felt physically mobile during the final, although the succession of demanding contests had left her emotionally drained. She planned to take at least a day away from tennis before returning to competition.