Both Coco Gauff and Iga Świątek had question marks looming over their form heading into the North American hardcourt swing, having yet to win a title during the 2026 season. However, both players have emerged as the leading contenders for the US Open title after their exploits at the WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati.
Coco Gauff and Iga Świątek Make Waves Ahead of the US Open
After her Wimbledon title defense ended in a disappointing third-round loss to Alexandra Eala, Świątek took some time off to unwind before ramping up preparations for the North American hardcourt swing.
A rejuvenated Świątek produced a strong campaign at the Canadian Open, triumphing over the likes of Marta Kostyuk, Diana Shnaider, and Elina Svitolina en route to the final. She then claimed a dominant 6-2, 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina to get her hands on the trophy in Toronto.
The Pole also made a deep run at the Cincinnati Open but failed to defend her title as she fell short against Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Gauff reached her third WTA 1000 final of the season in Cincinnati and finally converted the opportunity into a title, securing a commanding 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Pegula in the final.
Following the American’s victory, a striking similarity emerged between Gauff and Świątek, with both players using the same celebration to mark the end of their respective title droughts.
both coco and iga doing the same celebration when they won their first title this year…🥹 pic.twitter.com/g5uWrgN6hE
— kay! ☕️ (@swiatekology) August 24, 2026
During her post-match press conference, Gauff took pride in how she had navigated several tough matchups in Cincinnati, revealing that the experience gave her an important confidence boost heading into the US Open.
“Knowing that I can figure out these matches, and it’s going to be tough in New York, but just knowing the quality wins that I had this week, knowing that I’m able to figure it out even if I’m not playing my best, but also knowing that I can play that great tennis that I felt like I was playing this week,” she said.
However, the 22-year-old tempered expectations about how she would fare at the New York Major, while remaining hopeful about carrying her momentum into the final Grand Slam of the season.
“I think it was a long journey, but I’m happy,” she added. “I think it’s night and day, the player I was last year to now. I don’t think that this is an indicator that I’m going to do well in New York. Just knowing the quality ones that I had this week, hopefully I can use that experience.”
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Coco Gauff and Iga Świątek will both be on the hunt for their second US Open titles when they begin their highly anticipated campaigns in New York. The main draw action at the Major is scheduled to commence on August 30.
