Jaime Faria’s Italian Open dreams were crushed when he pulled out of his second-round qualifier against Carlos Taberner due to a foot injury. The 108th-ranked Portuguese player was trailing 0-5 when he was treated on court, and it soon became clear he couldn’t continue. The match ended abruptly after just 30 minutes, with Taberner winning the first set 6-0.
A Promising Start Turned Sour
Faria had shown promise just a day earlier, battling past Swiss player Jerome Kym, ranked 127th, with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 win. As the 12th seed, he was confident about his chances in Rome. But his injury woes continued a concerning trend. He had only just returned to competition at the Estoril Open after a two-month layoff due to injury.
- Faria’s withdrawal means Taberner advances to the next round.
- The Spaniard will face the winner of another qualifier.
Faria’s struggles are a setback for Portuguese tennis, which was hoping for a strong showing in Rome. His next steps will be closely watched by fans and coaches alike.