Coco Gauff holds off Jessica Pegula to claim second Cincinnati Open title

[p]World number four [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Gauff[/a] claimed her first WTA title since last October in Wuhan, having come up short in finals in Miami and Rome this year.[/p][p]Her victory over third-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Pegula[/a] gave her a second Cincinnati crown. Gauff earned her first in 2023, going on to claim the first of her two Grand Slam titles at the US Open that year.[/p][embed guid="9b9130d2-f955-40be-99dc-7e2f7f35d1c8" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2091683783850242450?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was the first all-American WTA final in Cincinnati since Rosie Casals beat Nancy Richey in 1970.[/p][p][b]"It's a big difference what a year can make," [/b]added Gauff, who was so bothered by her service struggles this time last year that she hired a new coach days before the US Open.[/p][p]Gauff polished off an impressive tournament with a victory in 75 minutes and will head to New York riding a wave of confidence for the start of the US Open next Sunday.[/p][p]Pegula, coming off a hard-fought win over defending champion Iga Swiatek, had no answer for Gauff's speed and aggression.[/p][p][b]"I don't think I played bad, but you played a very high level; it was not fun to play against,"[/b] she told Gauff during the trophy ceremony.[/p][p][b]"You have amazing momentum heading into the US Open."[/b][/p][p]Gauff broke Pegula twice for a 4-0 lead and was up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/?mid=nL3a3dK7"]5-0[/a] before Pegula got on the scoreboard, holding serve and clawing back a break.[/p][embed guid="c1de0ae7-24b7-4449-86a2-e832a5aea200" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2_awLHqcww" social-type="youtube" /][p]It was a brief reprieve as Gauff broke again to pocket the opening set after 34 minutes.[/p][p]The second set was more of the same, with Gauff breaking on the way to a 3-0 lead and Pegula playing catch-up.[/p][p]Gauff polished off the victory on her first match point to conclude 12 days of tennis at the sprawling Midwest venue.[/p][p]Gauff's win squared the career series between the two at five wins each. Gauff won her second match this season against Pegula after defeating her compatriot in a Wimbledon quarter-finals.[/p][embed guid="caaa7199-758e-4ed4-bf65-ca37d483cdc7" url="https://x.com/TennisChannel/status/2091688117832954103?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]