Jessica Pegula advanced to the Cincinnati Masters final after a competitive three-set victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek at the tournament in Ohio. The world number three American secured the win 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in a match lasting nearly three hours. Pegula will face fellow American Coco Gauff in Sunday’s championship, after Gauff defeated unseeded Czech player Sara Bejlek 6-4, 6-1 in her semifinal matchup.
The women’s final sets the stage for an all-American title clash, followed by a contrasting men’s championship between American Frances Tiafoe and France’s Arthur Fils. Tiafoe secured his spot in the final by defeating Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-3, while Fils claimed victory over Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-4. Weather delays disrupted both men’s semifinals, forcing players to readjust to changing court conditions mid-match.
Pegula attributed her success to mental resilience during the challenging contest, describing the match as unpredictable due to windy conditions and frequent service breaks. Fils, competing in his first Masters 1000 final, became the youngest French finalist at this level since 2004. The Cincinnati tournament will conclude with both championship matches on Sunday evening.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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