Pegula and Coco Gauff will contest the first all‑American women's final in Cincinnati in 56 years, after Pegula edged Iga Swiatek in a prolonged semifinal.
The third seed defeated the six-time Grand Slam champion 7-5 4-6 6-4 in a match that stretched to almost three hours and included 13 breaks of serve. The frequency of service breaks produced a stop-start contest, with momentum swinging repeatedly as each player struggled to hold at crucial moments.
Earlier on Saturday, Gauff advanced by beating unseeded Czech Sara Bejlek 6-4 6-1, setting up the Sunday showdown between two American players. The event has not featured two Americans in the women's final since Rosie Casals beat Nancy Richey in the 1970 championship match.
After the semifinal, Pegula reflected on the match's shifting pattern and the emotional toll it exacted. Pegula said: "I felt like we were playing well at times and then not playing well at times, so it was really tough to get a gauge on the match. Sometimes there's matches like that where you just see a lot of breaks back and forth, and I just kept telling myself to not get too upset about it. It is a little emotionally draining."
The win removes Swiatek from title contention and moves Pegula into Sunday’s final, where recovery and handling the match's emotional residue will be immediate priorities. With both American players through, Cincinnati's women's final will be a national contest not seen at the tournament in more than half a century.
