Ben Shelton's momentum from Montreal came to an abrupt end at the Cincinnati Open as Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria produced one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Ranked No. 79 in the world, Faria showed no signs of being intimidated by the American, who arrived in Cincinnati fresh from winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal.
The qualifier immediately put Shelton under pressure, breaking early in the opening set before maintaining his advantage to take it 6-4. Shelton struggled to find his usual rhythm in his first match since his breakthrough Montreal triumph, while Faria continued to attack with confidence.
The second set appeared to be heading in Shelton's favour when the American moved into a 4-1 lead. Faria refused to let the match slip away, however, winning five consecutive games to complete a remarkable 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Shelton's inability to convert his chances proved costly. He managed to create 12 break-point opportunities but converted only one, allowing Faria to escape several difficult situations and maintain control of the contest.
For Faria, the victory marked a major breakthrough on one of the biggest stages of his young career.
"In these moments, you got to take it all in and just enjoy," Faria said after the match. "It's a very emotional moment for me and my team."
The 22-year-old also admitted that beating a home player in front of the Cincinnati crowd made the occasion even more special. He will now face Australia's Adam Walton in the next round.
While Shelton's early exit was a setback for the American contingent, several of his compatriots continued to make progress in Cincinnati.
Sixth seed Taylor Fritz produced a composed performance against fellow American Alex Michelsen, winning 6-3, 6-4. The result levelled their career head-to-head record at 2-2 and sent Fritz into the next round, where he will meet Spain's Daniel Merida.
Learner Tien also continued his strong run after reaching the semi-finals in Montreal. The young American defeated Sebastian Baez 6-3, 7-6(4) to book a meeting with Frances Tiafoe.
Tiafoe secured his place in the third round with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win over Lorenzo Sonego, setting up an all-American clash that guarantees one home player will reach the quarter-finals.
With Shelton already out, attention now turns to whether Fritz, Tien or Tiafoe can carry the American challenge deeper into the Cincinnati Open. For Faria, meanwhile, the tournament has already delivered a career-defining moment, and his unlikely run is showing no signs of slowing down.
