The Cincinnati Open will host its first all-American women's final in 56 years on Sunday as Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula meet with the title on the line in Ohio.
The last two American women to contest the Cincinnati final were Rosie Casals and Nancy Richey back in 1970, but both Gauff and Pegula have the chance to write their own piece of history this weekend.
Gauff is already a former champion at the tournament, having lifted the title in 2023, and she produced another impressive performance in Saturday's semifinals to defeat unseeded Czech Sara Bejlek 6-4 6-1.
The fourth seed had to work hard to close out the opening set after Bejlek battled back from 4-1 down to level at 4-4, but Gauff responded by breaking again before cruising through the second set and wrapping up the victory in just 76 minutes.
Pegula had a far more demanding battle to reach the final, with the third seed needing almost three hours to overcome defending champion Iga Swiatek, 7-5 4-6 6-4.
The 32-year-old rallied from a break down in the deciding set to claim her tour-leading 45th victory of the year, while the win also marked her 300th career victory at tour level.
Pegula lost the 2024 Cincinnati final to Aryna Sabalenka and will hope to go one better here.
Coco Gauff vs. Jessica Pegula betting picks and predictions
Coco Gauff and over 21.5 games (+210)
Gauff has looked in excellent form throughout her run to the Cincinnati final and she can secure a second title at the tournament, but Pegula should be capable of making her work hard for victory.
Gauff cruised past Bejlek in the semifinals and has produced some dominant tennis this week, while Pegula arrives in the final after a hugely impressive victory over Swiatek.
Pegula's win was her 45th of the season and demonstrated the resilience she will need against Gauff, as she recovered from a break down in the deciding set to secure her place in the final.
The two Americans know each other's games well and their recent Wimbledon meeting went to three sets, with Gauff winning 4-6 6-3 6-3, underlining how competitive this matchup can be.
Gauff may have had the easier path through the draw and has looked the fresher player, which could give her the edge in the closing stages.
However, Pegula should be capable of taking enough games to push the total beyond 21.5.
Total Sets - 3 (+150)
The head-to-head between Gauff and Pegula points towards another closely contested encounter, with their last two meetings both going the distance and the pair sharing one win apiece.
Pegula still holds a narrow 5-4 advantage in the overall series after winning four of their first five meetings, but Gauff has gradually turned the rivalry around and has won three of the last four.
Both players have also shown their ability to battle through difficult matches in Cincinnati. Pegula came from a break down in the deciding set to beat Swiatek, while Gauff is a former champion who has looked increasingly comfortable as the tournament has progressed.
With the rivalry becoming more evenly balanced, another three-set contest looks good value at +150.
Jessica Pegula 5+ aces (+150)
Pegula's serve has been a major strength throughout the 2026 season and the 5+ aces line looks appealing at +150 in what could be another long Cincinnati final.
She has struck 223 aces across 538 service games this year, averaging roughly 0.41 per service game. That gives her a strong chance of reaching five if this contest follows the recent pattern between these two players and goes to three sets.
With a three-set match giving Pegula significantly more service opportunities, five or more aces looks like an option worth taking.
Coco Gauff vs. Jessica Pegula odds
Coco Gauff | -150 |
Jessica Pegula | +120 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
