Jessica Pegula dethrones Iga Swiatek to book Cincinnati Open final

Jessica Pegula of the United States celebrates after defeating Iga Swiatek of Poland 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 during day 12 of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 22, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP

CINCINNATI–World number three Jessica Pegula outlasted defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the final of the WTA Cincinnati Open.

Pegula rallied from a break down in the final set to subdue six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek in a tense battle that lasted two hours and 47 minutes.

“Crazy match today,” Pegula said. “A lot of back and forth, a lot of breaks. Really windy, kind of odd conditions. I felt like we were playing well and then not playing well.

“It was really tough to kind of get a gauge on the match.”

The American will face either fourth-ranked Coco Gauff in Sunday’s final.

Bejlek, 20, went into their Saturday night semi-final seeking another big upset, having knocked off world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round.

Pegula is chasing her third title of 2026 having won the 1000 level event in Dubai and lifted the trophy in Charleston.

She slowed a Swiatek resurgence that had seen the former world number one from Poland claim her first title of 2026 in Toronto this month.

Swiatek and Pegula took the court 30 minutes late due to rain and the match was interrupted briefly after just two games.

A tense first set lasted more than an hour and featured seven breaks of serve, Swiatek agonizingly smacking a volley into the net on set point.

After forcing the deciding set Swiatek took a 3-1 lead in the third, but Pegula regained the break and broke again when Swiatek double-faulted on break point to fall behind 5-4.

“I was just really happy with the way I was able to kind of handle just a lot that was going on today,” the 31-year-old American said. “I did a good job of no matter what was happening.”