The 22-year-old American has put together a largely consistent campaign, posting a 34-13 record heading into the WTA 1000 hard-court event. However, despite producing several impressive runs, Gauff has yet to win a tournament this season.
The two-time Grand Slam champion has come close on a number of occasions. She reached the finals in Miami and Rome, while also making the semifinals at Wimbledon, Dubai and Toronto. Those results underline her consistency but also highlight the one missing piece from her season — converting deep tournament runs into titles.
Gauff eager to end title drought
Speaking ahead of her Cincinnati campaign, Gauff made it clear that she wants to take the final step and add another trophy to her collection.
“I feel like I’m getting closer and closer to where I want to end up as a player,” Gauff said during her pre-tournament press conference in Cincinnati.
“Obviously, like you said, in Wimbledon and in Toronto, I had some good results and, you know, I think just trying to compete to be able to finish with a trophy in my hand is something that I am hoping to get before the season’s over.
“I’ve gotten a lot of semis, a couple finals, a lot of quarterfinals, so just trying to get to that final step.”
Gauff's comments reflect a season in which she has repeatedly positioned herself among the contenders but has struggled to complete the job. Her last WTA title came at the Wuhan Open in October 2025, meaning she is approaching 10 months without a tournament victory.
For a player who has already established herself as one of the leading figures in women's tennis, the Cincinnati tournament provides another opportunity to change that narrative.
Cincinnati holds special memories for Gauff
Gauff has already experienced the feeling of winning in Cincinnati. In 2023, she captured her first WTA 1000 title at the tournament, defeating Karolina Muchova in the final.
That triumph remains one of the standout achievements of her career, and returning to a venue where she has previously enjoyed such success could provide an additional boost as she looks to end her current drought.
This year, Gauff enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed and received a first-round bye. She will begin her campaign against Liudmila Samsonova.
With the American hard-court swing continuing to build toward the US Open, Gauff will be hoping to find her best form at the right time. A second Cincinnati title would not only add another major trophy to her résumé but could also provide valuable momentum heading into the final Grand Slam of the season.
Whether Gauff can repeat her 2023 triumph and finally get her hands on a trophy in 2026 remains to be seen, but her objective is unmistakable: she wants to take that final step before the season comes to an end.