Pegula dethrones Swiatek to book Cincinnati final against Gauff | Tennis News
Cincinnati Masters: Pegula Advances to All-American Final, Tiafoe Faces Fils
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Jessica Pegula staged a strong comeback in the third set to defeat defending champion Iga Swiatek, earning a spot in the final against fellow American Coco Gauff at the Cincinnati Masters on Saturday.
Pegula, the world’s third-ranked player, won a closely contested match 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Following her victory, Pegula described the match as “crazy,” noting that the conditions, marked by strong winds, played a significant role in the match’s fluctuations.
“Really tough to kind of get a gauge on the match,” Pegula said after nearly three hours of play.
Gauff, who defeated unseeded Czech player Sara Bejlek 6-4, 6-1, set the stage for an all-American final. Bejlek’s surprising run included a victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round.
The women’s final will take place on Sunday, following a men’s title match featuring Americans Frances Tiafoe and Arthur Fils, who will compete for the championship later that night.
Fils reached his first Masters 1000 final with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Flavio Cobolli, a French Open runner-up, despite a 45-minute delay caused by rain and lightning.
Both Swiatek and Pegula dealt with their share of interruptions due to weather. After a delay, Pegula took command in the final set, overcoming Swiatek’s bid to save three break points before the Polish player double-faulted on the fourth.
Pegula ended the match decisively, delivering a service winner on match point.
“It feels good to handle everything that was going on today,” said Pegula, who is 31.
The match began with a series of service breaks as both players adjusted to the challenging weather. Pegula finally took a lead at 4-2 in the opening set, breaking Swiatek’s serve before winning the set after Swiatek sent a volley into the net.
In the second set, Swiatek squared the match by breaking Pegula at a critical point.
In the men’s bracket, Tiafoe advanced to the final for a second time, having previously lost to Jannik Sinner in 2024. Tiafoe defeated fellow American Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-3, saving three set points in the first set and breaking Nakashima five times during the match.
“Feels damn good,” Tiafoe remarked about returning to the final.
He anticipates an exciting match against Fils, who at 18 years old becomes the youngest French player to reach a Masters final since Richard Gasquet in 2004.
Fils expressed that the rain delay added to his nervousness but was pleased with how he managed the situation.
“The rain arrives, you wait, and when you come back the conditions are completely different,” he explained. “It was tough, but I’m happy with how I dealt with it.”
The finals will showcase a clash of talent and resilience as both women and men vie for the esteemed Cincinnati Masters titles.
