The Cincinnati Open will begin this week, and in the women’s game, a significant milestone will be celebrated. 2024 marks twenty years since the renowned event returned to the WTA calendar and became one of the most popular tournaments on the tour. Many notable players will be competing, but few will capture as much attention as Coco Gauff, the crowd favorite and defending champion in the women’s draw. Gauff, currently ranked second in the world, will have strong support from the home crowd, but she faces a challenging task that has proven difficult since 2004. She aims to follow in the footsteps of Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka and become only the third woman to win two Cincinnati Open titles in the Open Era. If Gauff successfully defends her title in Cincinnati, she will join Williams as the only woman to achieve this feat, as Williams won consecutively in 2014 and 2015.
In 2014, Williams finally claimed the Cincinnati Open title after previously falling short in the 2013 final against Azarenka. Her path to the final was far from easy, defeating tough opponents such as Sam Stosur, Flavia Pennetta, Jelena Jankovic, and Caroline Wozniacki. However, after a comeback victory against Wozniacki in the semifinals, Williams cruised to a 6-1, 6-4 win over former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic in the final. The following year, Williams faced Ivanovic once again, this time in the quarterfinals. Williams fought back from a set down to defeat the Serbian. She then overcame Elina Svitolina in the semifinals and secured a successful title defense with a 6-3, 7-6(5) victory over Simona Halep.
Azarenka, a former world No. 1, also had her moments of triumph at the Cincinnati Open. In 2013, she staged a remarkable comeback in the final against Williams, overcoming a set deficit to win 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(6). This match showcased why Azarenka was a formidable opponent for Williams during that period. Azarenka faced tough challenges on her way to the final, defeating fellow former world No. 1’s Wozniacki and Jankovic in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. Seven years later, Azarenka secured her second title in unusual circumstances. The tournament took place at Flushing Meadows as part of the US Open COVID bubble. Azarenka’s path to the title included victories over Caroline Garcia, Ons Jabuer, and Johanna Konta. She ultimately received the title due to a walkover from Naomi Osaka.
It is remarkable that Williams and Azarenka are the only two players to have won the Cincinnati Open twice since its return to the WTA circuit twenty years ago. However, this is not to diminish the achievements of other great champions who have graced the tournament in the past two decades. Former world No. 1’s such as Maria Sharapova, Ashleigh Barty, Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, and Jelena Jankovic have all triumphed in Cincinnati, alongside players like Li Na. Now, Gauff aims to make history and become the third woman in the modern era to claim two Cincinnati Open titles. Her remarkable run last year, defeating Iga Swiatek in the semifinals and Karolina Muchova in the final, propelled her to US Open glory at the end of the summer. Although her current form has not been as strong, with early exits at Wimbledon, the Olympics, and the Canadian Open, Gauff remains a formidable contender to lift the title and match the achievements of two of the greatest players of the 21st century.
Photo from Coco Gauff Instagram
