Cincinnati Open LIVE: Fils-Tiafoe and Gauff-Pegula finals set for Sunday

[p][b]04:45 CET [/b]- Coco Gauff's last Cincinnati Open final appearance came in 2023, when she won both that and the subsequent US Open. [/p][p]Great signs heading into tomorrow's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/?mid=nL3a3dK7"]all-American showdown with Jessica Pegula[/a].[/p][p]Before that, we'll have [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/tiafoe-f-AHDLJaph/?mid=zNi1x8bf"]the men's final[/a] with another American - rank no. 23 Frances Tiafoe - playing rank no. 21 Frenchman Arthur Fils.  [/p][p]That brings semi-finals day at the Cincinnati Open to a close, but please check in same time tomorrow as we keep you up to date with all of the action from the finals![/p][embed guid="84ecbbd3-5bf3-4d72-9138-732ef659d8f8" url="https://x.com/OptaAce/status/2091353751344824404" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]04:40 CET [/b]- Our two Cincinnati Open finals are now in stone after Coco Gauff completely bulldozed her world number 35 opponent, winning the second set 6-1 in little more than half an hour. [/p][image alt="Match Stats" id="85aaeca1-5b91-4821-933b-4acdfa9844a2" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2795b357-178c-472c-9e9a-cf46bad1227a" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]04:05 CET [/b]- The crowd favourite Gauff is one set up after winning the first 6-4 in 44 minutes, with a total of five breaks of serve between the two players. [/p][p]Gauff won just 57% of her first serve points but also won 57% of Bejlek's first serve points in return. [/p][p]There were a couple of very entertaining rallies, as to be expected between two star players with very similar playing styles.[/p][embed guid="0f52a6f0-5670-45b9-8449-043ddf2e6b36" url="https://x.com/CincyTennis/status/2091345913633513923" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]03:20 CET [/b]- The second women's semi-final between Sara Bejlek and Coco Gauff is underway, with both players holding their opening service games.[/p][p][b]02:59 CET [/b]- Tiafoe is through to the final and extends his dominance of Brandon Nakashima to eight wins from nine matches![/p][p]The second set was much more straight forward: 6-3 in 39 minutes, winning 85% of first serve points and breaking in the fifth and ninth games of the set.[/p][image alt="Match Stats" id="e32dd911-58d5-4376-a421-f4faa4390936" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="82e59353-7942-4b67-91fa-dc870b735059" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]02:21 CET[/b] - After a one-hour epic, Frances Tiafoe has drawn first blood in Cincinnati. [/p][p]There were five breaks of serve in that set, including the crucial one that put Tiafoe 6-5 up. [/p][p]That was after he saved this set point with Nakashima leading 5-4:[/p][embed guid="ebbad922-b4b9-420d-95e2-5c339698f12e" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2091318190647201974" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]01:20 CET [/b]- The second men's semi-final is now underway with Brandon Nakashima holding serve first up. [/p][p][b]01:05 CET [/b]- It won't be long before Francis Tiafoe (ATP 23) and Brandon Nakashima (ATP 22) warm up for the second men's semi-final, fighting to take on Arthur Fils in the final.[/p][p]Tiafoes has a commanding 7-1 head-to-head record against Nakashima, including 6-1 on hardcourt surfaces. Despite that, it's Nakashima who starts as a narrow favourite due to his impeccable form in the US Open series and his impressive win over quarter-finalist Taylor Fritz. [/p][image alt="Nakashima-Tiafoe H2H" id="29af0027-c726-489f-8e83-99e9e85a1149" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="84e33f7e-93e1-4938-aa6b-8094b98eec59" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]00:58 CET [/b]- After the quickest set of the match, Jessica Pegula is through to the final![/p][p]The two players traded breaks in the fourth and fifth games of the set before Pegula went up 5-4 with her seventh and final break point, serving things out to win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/?mid=lfwx3BtC"]7-5, 4-6, 6-4[/a].[/p][image alt="Match Stats" id="b6de5e05-5f55-4130-ac4b-5fc04dca4349" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="32869186-fcf8-4abc-97b5-5b9697e6a66d" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]00:05 CET[/b] - Swiatek has levelled up the semi-final in Cincinnati! The game is going to a third after she took the second set 6-4 with a break of serve.[/p][p]Pegula's serve dropped off in that set, recording a first serve percentage of only 51% and losing almost two-thirds of second serve points. The momentum is with Poland's world number five. [/p][p]A reminder that the winner takes on either Coco Gauff or Sara Bejlek in the final.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/?mid=lfwx3BtC"]Follow the third set live here.[/a] [/b][/p][p][b]23:14 CET - [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a] has edged a closely fought first set against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a] to move within one step of the final but that only begins to tell the story of a first set that saw more breaks in serve than holds! Let's see how the second set unfolds...[/p][embed guid="c7251387-8f6a-43bb-84d1-3e692786ae9e" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2091272533383287093" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]21:32 CET - [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a] has made light work of seventh seed and favourite [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cobolli-flavio/zDtaCcPe/"]Flavio Cobolli[/a] to book his place in the final at Cincinnati.[/p][p]Fils has been in inspired form this tournament and deserves his place in the final after a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/cobolli-f-zDtaCcPe/?mid=zaHreHqR"]6-3, 6-4[/a] win.[/p][embed guid="07eb3617-d5cb-4140-aa2e-cd73dad56a18" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2091246396066140349" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]20:18 CET -[/b] Rain didn't come down in the end, and it was more of a precaution, so we are back underway in the first semi-final![/p][p][b]19:45 CET - [/b]The rain is coming down in Cincinnati, and we are likely to have a stoppage in play for at least 45 minutes.[/p][p][b]19:27 CET - [/b]We are a few minutes away from play getting started, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cobolli-flavio/zDtaCcPe/"]Flavio Cobolli[/a] facing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a] in the first semi-final.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/cobolli-f-zDtaCcPe/?mid=zaHreHqR"]Follow the contest live with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p][embed guid="a6d5eae6-9101-4dbe-a483-3aa78ab02991" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2090989470069743898" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]16:30 CET - [/b]Welcome back to [b][i]Flashscore[/i][/b]'s Tennis Tracker for a big day of preparation ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year.[/p][p]In the men's draw, it is wide open to see who will lift the title on Sunday. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cobolli-flavio/zDtaCcPe/"]Flavio Cobolli[/a] is the highest-ranked player at 10 in the world, but all four left in the tournament have a shot at the crown.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/cobolli-f-zDtaCcPe/?mid=zaHreHqR"]The Italian takes on Arthur Fils from 19:30 CET,[/a] with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Fils[/a] winning both of their encounters in the past, both in straight sets.[/p][image alt="Cobolli - Fils winning probability" id="6fb5361e-9041-47b1-b6e2-9b13b62a8ffb" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="43242d29-386a-49b6-ac82-e56d754da06d" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]In the other semi-final from 01:30 CET on Sunday morning is an all-American affair between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/nakashima-b-ETGnbrpH/tiafoe-f-AHDLJaph/?mid=C40P5wwh"]Frances Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nakashima-brandon/ETGnbrpH/"]Nakashima[/a] has been on a tear in recent weeks. He made the final in Montreal last week, falling just short of the win, and he beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fritz-taylor/UH09iaZ6/"]Taylor Fritz[/a] in his last match to make the final four.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tiafoe-frances/AHDLJaph/"]Tiafoe[/a], though, will be a stern test. He leads the head-to-head 7-1, whilst he has won seven of his 10 matches against fellow Americans this year.[/p][p]Meanwhile, in the women's draw, three stars and one underdog will take to the court.[/p][p]The blockbuster clash is undoubtedly [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/?mid=lfwx3BtC"]Jessica Pegula vs Iga Swiatek[/a]. The former number one, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Swiatek[/a], has seen her form improve in recent weeks, winning the Canadian Open last time out.[/p][image alt="Pegula - Swiatek win probability" id="ca5c30fe-ddab-4a21-81f9-27e247923645" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="edd5564d-7146-4957-bc61-342bff7426e0" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]It's been a tough run in Cincinnati for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Pegula[/a]. She needed three sets to see off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anisimova-amanda/nwkutKbi/"]Amanda Anisimova[/a], and she knows it will be another tough test today, with the head-to-head record favouring the Pole 7-5.[/p][p]In the other semi-final, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/bejlek-s-jVCKq0LH/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/?mid=Yijj9Cqp"]Coco Gauff faces up-and-coming Czech star Sara Bejlek[/a], who took down former Australian Open champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/keys-madison/QwU996PK/"]Madison Keys[/a] in the last round.[/p][p]This is just her second WTA semi-final, and she could prove a problem for the American.[/p]