Cincinnati Open: Gauff sweeps Bouzkova to claim quarterfinal spot

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Coco Gauff delivered a masterclass to end Marie Bouzkova’s campaign in the Cincinnati Open, 6-3, 6-2, and advance to the quarterfinal round at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, on Aug. 20, 2026.

The World No. 4 WTA player may have had a rough outing serving the ball, but Gauff made up for it by pummeling Bouzkova’s sloppy second serves, a key factor that helped propel the American to the next stage of the WTA 1000 tournament.

Bouzkova won only 35% of points on her second serves as Gauff didn’t hesitate to unload one-shot return winners to generate quick points that set the tone in the first set.

Aside from a tremendous return game, Gauff also saved eight break-point opportunities from Bouzkova, who nearly flipped the script after pushing the more experienced player to the brink on several occasions.

Gauff finally pulled through with a break in the sixth game, then followed it up with a quick service hold to build a two-game cushion, 5-3.

An exciting duel treated the tennis fans as Bouzkova took an early 30-0 lead in the ninth game, but Gauff weaved her magic by showcasing her court coverage and net defense to score the last four points, en route to a momentum-boosting 1-0 lead.

Bouzkova adjusted when the second set kicked off as the Czech ace targeted Gauff’s backhand, an inconsistent part of her game during the opener.

However, the clever Gauff decided to fight fire with fire and welcomed the challenge. Instead of turning to her right shoulder for a forehand switch, she won four of the eight backhand encounters, which proved to be the icing on the cake.

That move took a toll on Bouzkova’s composure, as the World No. 27 WTA player ran out of options in the final four games, allowing Gauff to dictate the tempo and seal the deal with another break.

Gauff capped the Round of 16 win with 77 total points won, including five service aces, three breaks, and 32 points on return.

On the other hand, Bouzkova concluded her Cincinnati Open run with 59 total points won and 22 points on return.

Awaiting Gauff in the quarterfinal round is Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, who earlier pulled off a comeback victory over Mirra Andreeva, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2.