Tiafoe, Pegula finish runner-up in Cincinnati; Muhammad wins first WTA 1000 doubles title

Americans Frances Tiafoe and Jessica Pegula both finished successful Cincinnati singles campaigns with runner-up trophies on Monday—one day after Asia Muhammad won the doubles title with Erin Routliffe of New Zealand.

Tiafoe notched three Top 20 wins on his way to his first ATP Masters 1000 final, beating Lorenzo Musetti, Hubert Hurkacz and Holger Rune before falling to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the final. Pegula, on the heels of her Toronto title, stretched her winning streak to nine matches at the WTA 1000 level before being turned back by Aryna Sabalenka in the championship.

Muhammad and Routliffe edged Leylah Fernandez and Yulia Putintseva, 3-6, 6-1, 10-4, with each winning her first WTA 1000 title on Sunday.

Tiafoe's timely resurgence

Tiafoe will enter the US Open in top form, and back in the Top 20, after his best result of the season in Cincinnati. With the help of new coach David Witt, he reached the semifinals at his home tournament in Washington, D.C., earlier this month before going one better at the Masters event in Ohio.

“Insanely happy for the effort I had all week. Tennis is a funny sport, man. It's been a really tough year,” Tiafoe said. “Since post-US Open honestly, since I made the quarters there last year, I've struggled to put matches together, taking the game for granted, not having much gratitude. I changed coaches, trying to just figure myself out. I'm in a great situation now, and to be able to make a final in a Masters... I couldn't be happier.”

Tiafoe has reached the semifinals and quarterfinals the past two years at the US Open, and he feels primed for another deep run after his recent success.

Pegula poised for Slam success

Pegula followed up a successful title defense at the WTA 1000 in Canada by reaching her second straight final at that prestigious level one week later in Cincinnati. An emphatic run in Toronto preceded a gritty display in Ohio, where the American won three-setters against Karolina Muchova, Leylah Fernandez and Paul Badosa to reach the title round.

"Incredible couple weeks," Pegula assessed. "I'm really proud of myself for the last couple weeks for the level I've been able to display, playing a lot of matches, and I think proving to myself that I can win a lot of matches in a row and be able to handle a lot of different challenges, with the conditions in different cities and courts and everything."

The world No. 6 will enter the US Open full of confidence as she seeks her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance. But the 2022 New York quarterfinalist does not expect the pressure to perform at the majors to diminish after her recent runs.

Muhammad's first WTA 1000 crown

Muhammad and Routliffe each won their first WTA 1000 title with a dramatic run in Cincinnati. The third seeds came back from a set down in both the quarterfinals and final, and won three tiebreaks across their other two match victories.

In Sunday's final, they saved nine of 10 break points against them and dominated the match after dropping the opening set.

"You are my best friend, so it’s amazing to share the court with you," Muhammad told her partner during the trophy ceremony. "It was a really fun work week. Not everyone can say they get to work with their best friend."

The 33-year-old is now an 11-time WTA doubles champion and a member for the WTA's doubles Top 20 for the first time as the new world No. 19.