The Cincinnati Open produced a dramatic second-round session as contrasting stories unfolded on the hard courts of the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by defeating eighth seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-4, while second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime safely negotiated a tricky encounter against former champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, winning 6-3, 7-5.
The results highlighted two very different narratives: Faria’s breakthrough against a recently crowned Masters 1000 champion and Auger-Aliassime’s successful return to competitive action.
Faria turns qualifier status into a statement victory
Faria entered Cincinnati as the No. 79 player in the PIF ATP Rankings and had little room for error against Shelton, who arrived in Ohio fresh from winning the Canadian Masters 1000 title.
Instead of being intimidated by the occasion, the Portuguese player attacked from the beginning. He secured an early break and maintained enough control to take the opening set 6-4.
The second set appeared to be moving towards Shelton when the American established a 4-1 advantage. Faria, however, refused to let the opportunity slip away. He produced a remarkable five-game run to close out the match in straight sets.
The statistics underline Shelton’s missed opportunities. The American earned 12 break-point chances but converted only one, allowing Faria to repeatedly escape dangerous situations.
A first Top-10 win for Faria
The victory was more than simply a place in the third round. It marked Faria’s first career victory over a Top-10 opponent and ended Shelton’s six-match winning streak.
For the Portuguese qualifier, the win also carried additional significance because it came against a home favourite on a major Masters 1000 stage.
Faria will now face Australia’s Adam Walton in the third round. Walton advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Peru’s Ignacio Buse.
Auger-Aliassime handles Tsitsipas test
While Faria was creating the day’s biggest surprise, Auger-Aliassime was quietly building momentum.
The Canadian second seed defeated Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5, ending the Greek player’s Cincinnati campaign in the round of 64. Tsitsipas had arrived with confidence after winning his opening match, but Auger-Aliassime’s consistency proved decisive.
The victory was particularly important for Auger-Aliassime as it came in his first match for around 40 days. Returning after an injury layoff, the Canadian immediately faced a player with a strong record and considerable experience on the big stage.
Auger-Aliassime will next meet Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who survived a lengthy battle with Arthur Rinderknech, winning 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(5).
More big names move forward
The second round also saw several other notable players progress.
Daniil Medvedev defeated qualifier Marco Trungelliti 6-4, 7-5.
Taylor Fritz beat Alex Michelsen 6-3, 6-4.
Lorenzo Musetti defeated Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-2.
Andrey Rublev overcame Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6(5), 6-1.
Learner Tien defeated Sebastian Baez 6-3, 7-6(4).
Frances Tiafoe beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-4.
Joao Fonseca advanced after beating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 7-6(2).
Cincinnati delivers another Masters 1000 twist
Faria’s breakthrough has added another unexpected chapter to a Cincinnati tournament already packed with high-profile storylines. The Portuguese qualifier did not merely survive against Shelton; he capitalised on his chances when they mattered most.
Shelton, meanwhile, will leave Cincinnati disappointed after his remarkable Canadian Open triumph. The short turnaround between the two Masters 1000 events proved challenging, but Faria deserves full credit for taking control of the contest and refusing to let Shelton recover.
For Auger-Aliassime, the picture is considerably brighter. A straight-sets victory over Tsitsipas gives the second seed an ideal start to his return, but the draw will become increasingly demanding as the tournament progresses.
With the third round now taking shape, Cincinnati has already delivered its first major shock — and Faria has made sure his name will be one of the stories of the tournament.
Match Scores
Jaime Faria (POR) def. Ben Shelton (USA): 6-4, 6-4
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) def. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE): 6-3, 7-5
Key Records and Talking Points
Jaime Faria recorded his first career Top-10 victory.
Faria ended Ben Shelton’s six-match winning streak.
Shelton converted just 1 of 12 break-point opportunities.
Faria advanced to the Cincinnati Open third round.
Felix Auger-Aliassime made a successful return after roughly 40 days away from competition.
Auger-Aliassime entered Cincinnati as the No. 2 seed.
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