MASON, Ohio (AP) — Jessica Pegula beat defending champion Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff defeated Sara Bejlek on Saturday to set up the first all-American women's final at the Cincinnati Open in 56 years.
Pegula rallied from down a break in the third set to get past Swiatek, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, for her tour-leading 45th win this year. It was the 300th tour-level victory of Pegula's career, and it snapped Swiatek’s 10-match winning streak.
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Pegula’s best finish in Cincinnati came in 2024, when she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
Gauff, the 2023 champion, beat Bejlek, 6-4, 6-1. The 20-year-old Czech upset top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys en route to the semis.
The last time two American women played in the Cincinnati final was in 1970, when Rosie Casals beat Nancy Richey.
“I’m always rooting for American tennis,” Pegula said. “I like to play someone that I get along with and have a lot of respect for, like Coco. I didn’t realize it was so long since we’ve had a double American final. The crowd can just go out there and enjoy the match.”
On the men's side, Frances Tiafoe defeated fellow American Brandon Nakashima, 7-5, 6-3, to set up a final against Arthur Fils of France.
It will be the first time two Black players have met in an ATP Masters 1000 final.
Sunday's winner will be the third Black man to win a Masters 1000 title, joining Ben Shelton, who won Canada twice, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won Paris in 2008 and Canada in 2014.
“It’s awesome for, you know, for a bunch of kids looking up to us and want to be in our position,” Tiafoe said. “That's what it's about. It's always nice to be a part of history. Hopefully we can have more big finals like this having people of color, and I’m super pumped about it.”
Tiafoe reached the 2024 final in Cincinnati, losing to Jannik Sinner in three sets.
Fils defeated 10th-ranked Flavio Cobolli, 6-3, 6-4, on Saturday. He became the second French player to reach the Cincinnati final, joining Guy Forget in 1991.
The 22-year-old beat Tiafoe in three sets last year in Miami, in their only prior meeting.
“Frances is Frances,” Fils said. “I mean, whenever he has to show up on the big stage that's where he plays his best. It’s going to be a nice final to play against an American, so the crowd’s going to be against me, but I think I’m going to enjoy it.”
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