... And, before the US Open, Coco arrived

Coco Gauff has arrived at the women's tennis party. Looking at the top-10 of the WTA Race (that is, the ten best players of the year) felt like diving into a sky of figures who could boast of achieving a significant title in 2026. The only missing piece was the American, a champion of consistency and finalist in two WTA 1000 events, but always just a step away from crossing the finish line... until tonight, when she crowned a fabulous week at the WTA Cincinnati 2026 with an exuberant performance against Jessica Pegula in the title match (6-2, 6-4).

It was a dominant performance as much as the tennis she displayed all week: with a granite-like strength from the back of the court, a physical superiority indicating that she has reached an excellent level in the last quarter of the season... while also adding, of course, renewed power and precision with her forehand. She played like an athlete to overcome each and every one of her challenges, confirming herself as the living example of that player who is everywhere on the court: unapproachable on the forehand side, unapproachable on the backhand side, unapproachable when played to quickly.

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There was no story in the final: this is how Gauff overwhelmed Pegula

Jessica's slow start, perhaps still recovering from her meritorious victory over Swiatek, was a heavy burden to overcome in the first set where Coco came out hitting the gas from the first minute. Several miraculous recoveries after her opponent's net approaches, with wrist shots that conceal a finesse perhaps still not fully exploited in her tennis, became daggers that mentally drained Pegula, who was able to hit with everything for three or four shots but sank into despair upon realizing that those shots led her nowhere in each rally.

She appeared much more competitive in the second set, managing to find shortcuts to win points, but the multitude of net approaches to escape Coco's suffocating rhythm from the back of the court yielded mixed results: they were not positive enough to justify them and reinforced the confidence of a Gauff who felt superior both in close exchanges and in cat-and-mouse plays near the service line.

THE MOMENT! 🤩@CocoGauff | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/JQYV78JZvY

— wta (@WTA) August 24, 2026

The Atlanta native had a slight moment of doubt when serving to close the match, opening a small door for her opponent with a poor service game... but when she had to hold against Pegula, doubts resurfaced in the American’s game, committing clear errors from the back of the court and showing, in a microcosm, how such a strong Gauff can make you doubt in neutral shots. 

Finding the balance between that defensive DNA and being able to accelerate confidently with her forehand, also giving herself the chance to dominate and restrain her opponents, has been Gauff's great mission for a long time... and in Cincinnati she accomplished it to perfection, perhaps delivering one of her best weeks in terms of tennis in her career. Second title in Ohio, fourth seed heading into the US Open... and the reminder that the last time she stepped in New York with the Cincinnati title in her hands, she also lifted the crown at Flushing Meadows. The women's tour was missing the participation of its most extraordinary athlete... and the challenge now won’t be tennis, but managing the pressure and expectations that have skyrocketed. Can Gauff do it? In Cincinnati, whatever happens, she has found the ideal recipe.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ... Y, antes del US Open, llegó el Coco