Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria pulled off the biggest result of his career on Sunday night, stunning defending champion Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the Cincinnati Open.
Faria, ranked 87th in the world, took full advantage of a rusty Shelton — who was competing in his first match since lifting the Montreal Masters 1000 trophy just days ago — and never let the American settle into any rhythm.
A Second-Set Collapse From Shelton
The match appeared to be heading Shelton's way when the American raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set. But Faria flipped the script entirely, reeling off five straight games to close out the match and seal the biggest victory of his career.
Shelton's struggles were evident throughout the contest. The American converted just one of 12 break-point opportunities against Faria, a stat that summed up his frustrating evening under the lights in Cincinnati.
"It's a very emotional moment for me and my team," Faria said after the match. "To do it here in front of an amazing crowd and against the home player at night at an amazing venue just makes it a little more special."
Faria's Breakthrough Moment
The 22-year-old from Lisbon had been quietly building momentum on the ATP Tour this season, earning his place in the Cincinnati main draw through qualifying. But beating a Top-10 player on one of the biggest stages in men's tennis — against the reigning Cincinnati champion no less — represents a genuine leap forward.
Shelton, who had won six consecutive matches before Sunday's defeat, looked out of sorts from the start. The American's typically ferocious serve was off-target and his aggressive baseline game failed to produce the winners that had carried him to the Montreal title.
What's Next
Faria will face Australia's Adam Walton in the third round after Walton defeated Ignacio Buse 6-4, 6-3 earlier on Sunday. For Shelton, the loss brings an abrupt end to what had been a dominant stretch of form on North American hard courts.
The upset was part of a wild day at the Cincinnati Open, where sixth seed Taylor Fritz also advanced past Alex Michelsen 6-3, 6-4, while American teenager Learner Tien opened his campaign with a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Sebastian Baez.
Sources
- https://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a1801216.html
- https://english.mathrubhumi.com/sports/tennis/cincinnati-masters-2026-sabalenka-shelton-results-m86qobnc
