Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 in the Cincinnati Open final to claim her first title of 2026, arriving at the US Open with significant momentum after one of her smoothest tournament runs.
The victory holds particular significance given Gauff's struggles exactly one year earlier. At the 2025 Cincinnati Open, the American's serve had become a major liability, with double faults plaguing her matches and undermining her confidence in her overall game. That loss to Jasmine Paolini prompted a dramatic decision: Gauff hired biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to completely rebuild her serve from the ground up, beginning just before last year's US Open.
The timing of that overhaul was challenging. Making such a fundamental change to her technique while preparing for her most important tournament of the year drew considerable scrutiny. During her second round match at the US Open last year, Gauff cried on court as she grappled with the transformation. Over the following twelve months, she continued to struggle with double faults as she worked through the extensive biomechanical changes.
Now, Gauff has finally found confidence with her serve, and the improvement has transformed her overall performance. "I think it was a long journey, but I'm happy," she said after winning Cincinnati. "Last year I was frustrated with my game and felt like I was declining. It's not something any player wants to feel. You always want to feel like you're getting better. I made sudden decisions that most people probably wouldn't do before a slam, but I think it's worth it. It's night and day, the player I am from last year to now."
In Cincinnati, Gauff demonstrated the benefits of her serve overhaul. After dropping her first set against Liudmila Samsonova, she won ten consecutive sets to reach the final. Known for her dramatic three-set victories, Gauff deliberately sought to finish matches in straight sets this week to preserve energy before the US Open. In the final, she repeatedly hit first serves above 120 miles per hour and aggressively moved forward when opportunities presented themselves.
Her defensive excellence also proved decisive against Pegula. The third seed struggled to find answers to Gauff's mobility and court coverage. "It's just so hard when you play somebody that moves the way she does," Pegula said. "She's the best mover on tour by far. The way she's able to defend out of the corners is better than anybody else."
Pegula's path to the final was noteworthy in its own right. She won three consecutive three-set matches, including a victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek, positioning herself as another in-form American heading to the US Open.
Arthur Fils captured the men's title, defeating Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 1-6, 6-0 to claim his first Masters 1000 title. The 22-year-old French player is now ranked number 11 in the world following his breakthrough victory.