Pegula vs. Gauff: Start time, prize money and what to know about the Cincinnati final

CINCINNATI -- We're down to our final two at the Cincinnati Open.

World No. 3 Jessica Pegula and World No. 4 Coco Gauff will square off in the first All-American Cincinnati Open women's singles final since 1970. For Pegula, top ranked American is seeking her third title of 2026 while Gauff eyes her second championship in Cincinnati on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. They'll meet for the 10th time overall, with Pegula holding a slim 5-4 lead. 

From order of play to prize money and more, here's everything you need to know about Sunday's final.

When is the Cincinnati singles final?

The singles final concludes play on Stadium Court Sunday evening and will begin not before 7 p.m., following the men's singles championship. The doubles final, won by Marie Bouzkova and Linda Noskova, was contested Saturday late morning. 

Time conversions for singles final: NB 12 a.m. BST, 1 a.m. CEST (Monday, August 24)

How did each singles player reach the championship?

Pegula
First round: Bye
Second round: def. Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-2
Third round: def. [25] Emma Navarro 7-5, 6-2
Fourth round: def. [15] Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Quarterfinal: def. [9] Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
Semifinal: def. [7] Iga Swiatek 7-5, 4-6, 6-4

The top ranked American will contest for her third title of 2026 and second on hard court following her victory in Dubai. With a three-set thrilling victory over Iga Swiatek, Pegula recorded her 300th main-draw win, and though it wasn't a perfect performance, she stopped the player who has had the best form of anyone on tour. 

Gauff
First round: Bye
Second round: def. Liudmila Samsonova 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
Third round: def. [28] Ann Li 6-1, 7-6 (3)
Fourth round: def. [22] Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-2
Quarterfinal: def. [10] Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-2
Semifinal: def. Sara Bejlek 6-4, 6-1

Ever since dropping her first set of the tournament, the 2023 champion has dominated throughout and is rapidly building momentum ahead of the US Open. She'll play in her third WTA 1000 final of 2026, following Rome and Miami. 

What are the ranking points and prize money at stake?

In Cincinnati, a total of USD $7,433,076 was available in prize money, and the singles champion will receive $1,085,200. The finalist will take home $564,920, the same as the previous tournament in Toronto. In doubles, Bouzkova and Noskova earned $379,080 for their win Saturday.

As with all WTA 1000 events, 1000 ranking points are on the table in both the PIF WTA Rankings and the Race to the WTA Finals at Indian Wells, while the runner-up earns 650 points. Any change in rank is based on how the player performs in the tournament compared to the points earned in the same week last year. 

Regardless of tomorrow's result, Pegula and Gauff are projected to remain No. 3 and No. 4 in the PIF WTA Rankings respectively. In the Race to the WTA Finals at Indian Wells, Pegula is projected to jump to No. 2 with a win or No. 4 with a loss. As for Gauff, she's projected to jump to No. 5 with a win or No. 6 in case of defeat.

By the numbers

Pegula

5: Pegula leads the tour with five finals reached in 2026 and holds a 2-2 record.

17: She has claimed 17 wins in three sets in tour-level main draws this season, tying her season-best in 2023 and 2025. On hard-court, she is 11-2 in three-set matches this year.

29: Through her first five matches in Cincinnati, Pegula has converted 29 break points, the most of anyone in the field.

45: Pegula has the most wins, with 45, of anyone on tour and is tied with Elena Rybakina with 29 hard-court victories this season.

Gauff

3: Gauff, 22, is the third-youngest player in the Open Era to reach her second Cincinnati Open final, only older than Evonne Goolagong in 1973 and Vera Zvonareva in 2006.

9: The last nine finals Gauff has advanced to have come at either Grand Slams, WTA Finals or WTA 1000 events.

19: Gauff has won 19 of her last 21 meetings against left-handed players, falling to Diana Shnaider at 2024 Toronto and Alexandra Eala at 2026 Indian Wells this season (via retirement in the latter).

What they had to say?

Pegula

1. "After the match with Amanda, I strained a little something in the middle of the match, and I wasn't sure how I was going to feel. After getting through that match, actually that night and the next morning, it felt much better. Then taking yesterday off, I didn't come to site at all, just kind of hung out, got away from the courts a little bit. 

"When I came out this morning, it felt much better, and I didn't feel anything that was ailing me in the match against Amanda."

2. "I'm always rootng for American tennis. We all get along so well. I think it would be awesome if it was Coco and I in a final. We've played in finals before, and I think, win or lose, to me, like looking back on my career, I think
like to play someone that I get along with and that I have a lot of respect for in Coco would be really cool and memorable."

Gauff

More to come after Gauff's post-semifinal press conference