CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Western & Southern Open will mint a new WTA 1000 champion on Sunday.
No.7 Coco Gauff earned a spot in her first WTA 1000 final with a rousing win over No.1 Iga Swiatek.
No.17 Karolina Muchova followed her lead and stunned No.2 Aryna Sabalenka.
The two have never faced each other before. Now they'll each play to win the biggest title of their careers.
Semifinal roundup: Gauff stuns No.1 Swiatek | Muchova stops No.2 Sabalenka
Here's what you need to know to get ready for the Cincinnati final.
When is the women's final?
The singles final will be played on Sunday, Aug.20 at 1:30 p.m.
The doubles final will be played on Saturday, Aug.19 after the men's semifinals.
What are the points and prize money at stake?
By making the Cincinnati final, Gauff and Muchova have assured themselves $267,690 in prize money and 585 points. In fact, with her run to the final, Muchova has assured herself a Top 10 debut on Monday.
Sunday's champion will take home 900 ranking points and $454,500.
1st WTA 1000 FINAL 🙌@CocoGauff defeats World No.1 Swiatek 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 to play for the title on Sunday in Cincinnati. #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/DLtso06RJz
— wta (@WTA) August 19, 2023
How did Gauff and Muchova get here?
Since losing in the first round at Wimbledon, Gauff has now won 10 of her last 11 matches. She has lost just three sets in that span. She started her summer hard-court season with a dominant title run in Washington D.C. to win the biggest title of her career. She's now one win away from eclipsing that mark with the first WTA 1000 title of her career.
In Cincinnati, Gauff eased through her first three rounds over Mayar Sherif, Linda Noskova and Jasmine Paolini, before notching one of the biggest wins of her career. Playing in her third WTA 1000 semifinal, Gauff earned her first win in eight tries over World No.1 Iga Swiatek, winning 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4.
The victory was Gauff's second over a reigning World No.1, having defeated Ashleigh Barty by retirement in 2021.
Full court coverage 👏@karomuchova7 | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/8Y9calqA5U
— wta (@WTA) August 19, 2023
Ranked No.17, Muchova came into Cincinnati after a tough three-set effort against Iga Swiatek in the Montreal quarterfinals. After the quick turnaround, she dug deep to tally three consecutive three-set wins over No.19 Beatriz Haddad Maia, Petra Martic, and No.8 Maria Sakkari. In the quarterfinals, Muchova got a much-needed respite after Marie Bouzkova retired three games into the match.
Facing No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, Muchova needed every ounce of energy and guile to rally from a set down to win 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2. The win was Muchova's second over Sabalenka this season, having saved match point to win in the French Open semifinals.
How do they stack up?
Sunday will see the first career meeting between Gauff and Muchova.
Gauff has spent 6 hours and 24 minutes on court to make the final. Muchova has been a workhorse, spending 10 hours and 1 minute.
What's at stake?
Gauff is looking to add to her 2023 title haul and pick up a third title this season. She also won Auckland and Washington D.C. A victory in Cincinnati would be the biggest title of her career.
Gauff is bidding to become the first teenage champion in Cincinnati. A win on Sunday would mint her as the fourth American champion of the event, joining Lindsay Davenport (2004), Serena Williams (2014, 2015) and Madison Keys (2019).
1 - With victory over Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati, Cori Gauff has reached her first WTA 1000 event final. Gauff is the first teenager to reach a WTA 1000 final since Swiatek (Rome 2021) and the seventh overall - since 2009. Future.#CincyTennis | @CincyTennis @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/jOAYz4z4RN
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) August 19, 2023
Muchova is bidding to win her second Hologic WTA Tour title and first since winning Seoul in 2019. She would join Karolina Pliskova as the. only two Czech champions of the tournament.
Muchova is bidding to beat three Top 10 opponents at a single tournament for the first time in her career. With her win over Sabalenka, she is now 5-4 against Top 10 opposition this season.
68.9 - Reaching her maiden WTA 1000 final in Cincinnati, Karolina Muchova now holds the highest winning percentage of any Czech player at this level, at 68.9%. Hotbed.#CincyTennis | @CincyTennis @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/rXlBgrDSzr
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) August 19, 2023
What are they saying?
Muchova: "I think I was even outside of 200 at the end of the last year, so it's incredible. I always was hoping and believing that I can be up there, but you never know. In the past, my health was a big issue. It always stopped me. I'm just really, really pleased how it's going. To be in Top 10, I can say it for rest of my life that I was top 10 tennis player from all of the people. It's great achievement."
Gauff: "I didn't feel like [the match] was close to three hours. I feel like physically I'm just really in shape. Really, I feel like the only time I don't feel good is when I don't get enough sleep. It's not necessarily when I do so much work the next day. I think I train for moments like this."
Muchova: "Energy levels? It's tough. It's tough. I can feel it in my bones that I played all three-setters. Just yesterday I had a little time off. Obviously, my body feels it."
Gauff: "I know there's more work to do. It's very easy for me to get back focused and put too much focus on one match or too much on one thing. Everybody close to me knows that. They usually say I should give myself more props."