The 2025 US Open journey for Jaime Faria, Portugal’s second-highest ranked player and ATP World No. 117, ended abruptly this Monday. After falling in the final qualifying round to France’s Ugo Blanchet, the 22-year-old found himself back on court as a lucky loser in the main draw. This second chance, however, also slipped away.
Faria, who trains at the Jamor High Performance Center, faced Spain’s Jaume Munar. The 28-year-old Mallorcan, ranked 44th in the world, is enjoying the best season of his career. Munar defeated Faria in a match lasting just under three hours, with a score of 6-0, 6-3, 5-7, and 6-2. The stats tell a clear story: Faria piled up nearly 60 unforced errors, while Munar kept his mistakes to fewer than 20.
With Faria out, Portugal’s hopes in the tournament now rest on Nuno Borges, competing in both singles and doubles, and Francisco Cabral, who is only in the doubles draw. Borges will make his singles debut on Tuesday, around 11 PM, against American wild card Brandon Holt. Holt is the son of Tracy Austin, a former World No. 1 and two-time US Open champion.
Big Names Face Early Exits
Meanwhile, Madison Keys, the United States’ third-ranked player and WTA World No. 6, suffered a shocking first-round defeat. Her performance was nothing short of disastrous. The Australian Open champion was ousted by Mexico’s Renata Zarazua after an intense and lengthy 3 hours and 10 minutes of play. Zarazua won with scores of 6-7(10), 7-6(3), and 7-5. Keys became the first top 10 player to exit the tournament. It was a day to forget for Keys, who hit a staggering 89 unforced errors, far more than her 44 winners. She even squandered a 7-6 and 3-0 lead in the match.
The day also saw two notable female players play the final matches of their careers: Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic and Caroline Garcia from France. Looking back to the previous dawn, ATP World No. 7 Novak Djokovic began his campaign with an easy victory, securing his spot in the second round. He defeated American Learner Tien, ranked 50th, with a score of 6-1, 7-6(3), and 6-2.