After taking down the Sara Bejlek, U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff advanced to the title match of the 2026 Cincinnati Open.
While the unseeded Bejlek took down three former Grand Slam champs enroute to the semifinal, including World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Gauff defeated the 20-year-old 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 16 minutes.
Next up, Gauff (No. 4) takes on fellow American tennis star Jessica Pegula (No. 3) in the final on Sunday, August 21. The marks the second all-American final in Mason, Ohio since 1970.
GettyCoco Gauff takes on Jessica Pegula at the 2026 Cincinnati Open final.
Gauff won the Cincinnati Open title in 2023, after which she went on to win the U.S. Open. “Winning the title would be great, because I’ve had a couple of semi and finals this year,” Gauff told reporters. “I’m not putting too much weight on it. I feel like I’m really confident in my game. It’s just another challenge for me to get better.”
Just before the 22-year-old’s successful run at the Cincinnati Open, Gauff shared some exciting news.
Coco Gauff Announced Her Partnership With Oura Ring Before the Cincinnati Open
Gauff, along with Taylor Fritz, is the new brand ambassador for Oura Ring, which launched their new discreet Oura Ring 5, the world’s smallest smart ring.
“People see the results, but they don’t see everything that goes into being ready to compete at this level, week after week,” Gauff shared in a statement. “For me, staying composed under pressure isn’t something that just happens on the court — it starts with how well I understand my own body, especially during a long tournament when there’s so little time to recover between matches.
“That’s what drew me to Oura. It’s not about chasing numbers, it’s about actually listening to what my body is telling me and incorporating that into how I train and recover.”
A fan asked after Gauff shared the news on Instagram, “Real question. How does one wear this and grip the racquet appropriately ?” Oura Ring’s official account replied, “The ring sits low-profile and flush on your finger, so most people find it doesn’t interfere with their grip during racquet sports or other activities.”
Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula Used to Be Doubles Partners
GettyCoco Gauff takes on her former doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, at the 2026 Cincinnati Open final.
Gauff and Pegula are no strangers, as they used to be doubles partners during the 2022-23. As opponents, however, Pegula, 32, owns a 5-4 record against Gauff.
During their most recent showdown at Wimbledon, however, Gauff won 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Gauff told the Cincinnati Open of Pegula, “She’s [a] super nice person. I think one of the more laid-back players on tour. She’s definitely the ultimate competitor, can fight her butt off on court and still be friendly and nice off the court.
“I always respect players who know that. You can be both a good person and a great competitor. As an opponent, she’s super tough and plays aggressive. She’s one of the cleanest ball-strikers, very underrated mover, gets a lot of balls back. We had a really tough one at Wimbledon, and I imagine it to be the same here.”
Coco Gauff Announces Personal News Before Cincinnati Open