How Coco Gauff's Title in Cincinnati Makes Her a Real Threat to Win the US Open

Coming off a season defined by close calls and near-misses, Gauff finally has the signature win she needed, just in time for the US Open. The bigger question now is whether she can carry that momentum into the sport's biggest stage.

Gauff’s Statement Win in Cincinnati

On Sunday, August 23rd, Gauff dominated fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 to capture her second Cincinnati Open crown, defeating a top-five opponent in the first all-American final at the tournament in 56 years. It was Gauff's first title of the season after coming up short in the finals in Miami and Rome, and it extended her hard court winning streak to 10 matches.

For anyone who follows the sport closely, the parallel to 2023 is hard to ignore. Gauff won this same event in 2023 before riding that momentum to her first Grand Slam title weeks later in New York. Whether this will have any effect on this year’s outcome, however, is yet to be determined.

Gauff has been cautious about drawing too many similarities between the two results. After the final in Cincinnati on Sunday, Gauff said to the press, “I don't think that this is an indicator that I'm going to do well in New York or anything like that, to be honest.” She added, “But knowing that I can figure out these matches [gives me confidence].”

Fixing the Biggest Hole in Her Game

What makes this Cincinnati run notable isn't just the result; it's how Gauff got there. For two full seasons, her serve was the most-talked-about liability in women's tennis. She led the WTA Tour in double faults in both 2024 and 2025, a statistic that became the defining storyline of her game even as she racked up Grand Slam titles despite it.

That's why Gauff brought in biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan just before last year's US Open, the same coach who had rebuilt Aryna Sabalenka's once-shaky serve into a weapon. The early results were inconsistent, and Gauff was open about the growing pains. However, nearly a year into the partnership, her mechanics now look fundamentally different, with better counter-rotation in her spine angle and improved use of ground force off her front foot.

Gauff herself has described the process in simpler terms, saying she’s "trusting the process" and feels more comfortable. The final in Cincinnati was a clear example of what that progress looks like in practice. Gauff never let her serve become the story, closing out the match in a little over an hour without letting Pegula find any rhythm on returns.

What This Means for the US Open

None of this necessarily guarantees Gauff’s outcome in New York. However, the timing of her improved performance matters a bit more because of what's happening around her. Both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, the WTA's top two seeds, struggled through the same Cincinnati draw. Sabalenka fell to an unseeded opponent in the round of 16, while Rybakina retired from her quarterfinal with injury.

Gauff, by contrast, is playing her most complete tennis in over a year at exactly the right moment when her rivals are stumbling. This creates an almost perfect storm to repeat her 2023 feats, taking home titles in both Cincinnati and New York.

Add in a home Slam, a proven track record at Flushing Meadows, and a serve that no longer looks like a liability, and Gauff enters the US Open looking less like a hopeful contender and more like a genuine favorite.

Add us as a preferred source on Google