Gauff will face compatriot Jessica Pegula on Sunday as she pursues her second title at the tournament following her championship run in Cincinnati in 2023.
Coco Gauff Breaks Through Czech Contender Sara Bejlek
Coco Gauff arrived on the Cincinnati court determined to control the pace and avoid surprises against Sara Bejlek, the tournament’s breakout revelation who had previously eliminated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka as well as Grand Slam champions Madison Keys and Barbora Krejcíková.
The world No. 4 American established an early 4-1 advantage in the opening set. Bejlek fought back to level the score at 4-4, but Gauff held firm and advanced with her first set point to close out the opening frame 6-4. Gauff claimed three breaks of serve in the first set while maintaining a 63% first-serve percentage and winning 68% of her total service points, alongside two breaks by Bejlek and three holds.
The second set proved more straightforward as Gauff dominated from the baseline and continued her aggressive approach. She added three additional breaks of serve in the second set, maintained her service in all games, and secured the set 6-1 to close out the match in 1 hour and 16 minutes.
Gauff declared that she tried not to take her foot off the accelerator because she knew that at any moment her opponent could return.
Reflecting on the contest after the match, Gauff explained her mindset against the 20-year-old Czech player, whose energy appeared to run out in the tank in the closing stages. Gauff stated that she tried not to lift her foot off the accelerator because she knew her opponent could mount a comeback at any moment.
Tactical Shift and the Road to the Semifinals
Gauff’s path to the latter stages of the Cincinnati event was built on an aggressive tactical evolution. Since dropping the opening set in her Cincinnati opener, the No. 4 seed reeled off six straight sets, punctuated by a 6-2, 6-2 victory over No. 10 seed Marta Kostyuk on Friday night in a match that lasted 70 minutes.
That quarterfinal win over Kostyuk highlighted a conscious shift toward coming forward to finish points at the net more than she has in the past, an adjustment Gauff credits to her run at Wimbledon.
Gauff told reporters that she did not realize how good she was at it until Wimbledon, adding that everyone had been telling her to come to the net more. She noted that Chris Evert actually texts her sometimes to come to the net more, and while she tells Evert that yes, she is going to do it, she then simply does not. She finally did it at Wimbledon and won so many points that way, and she observed that obviously here, there is just a big difference when you are able to finish the point at the net.
The adjustment has drawn encouragement from Chris Evert, who occasionally texts Gauff to urge her to approach the net more often. The change paid immediate dividends against Kostyuk on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, where Gauff won six breaks of serve and surrendered only five points behind her first serve, bringing her head-to-head record against Kostyuk to 4-2.
Historical Context and Elite Company
Reaching the semifinals in Cincinnati placed Gauff alongside rare company in tennis history. She became only the fourth player in the Open Era to reach multiple Cincinnati Open semifinals before turning 23, joining Linda Tuero, Vera Zvonareva, and Evonne Goolagong.
Among active full-time players on the WTA Tour, only Iga Swiatek with 24 and Aryna Sabalenka with 21 have reached more WTA 1000 semifinals than Gauff’s 17.
Sunday Showdown Against Jessica Pegula
The Cincinnati final sets up a familiar and friendly rivalry on Sunday. Gauff will face compatriot Jessica Pegula in the championship match. The two Americans previously teamed up to form a doubles pairing that reached world No. 1.
Sunday’s meeting follows a dura victoria between the two friends in July during the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. With the US Open approaching—where Gauff will look for her second crown following her 2023 title—the Cincinnati final offers a major test as she prepares for the tournament in great form.
