By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday February 20, 2025
Portugal’s Jaime Faria was barely contained in the Prime 400 this time final yr. What a distinction a yr makes for the rising expertise, who’s now slated to make his Prime 100 debut after reaching his first profession ATP quarterfinal on Thursday in Rio.
Faria, who took a set off of Novak Djokovic within the second spherical at this yr’s Australian Open, defeated Spain’s Jaume Munar, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
He’s as much as No.87 within the reside rankings because of this, and can be part of Nuno Borges (at the moment 37 within the reside rankings) because the second man inside the highest 100 from Portugal on Monday.
A blistering return to seal it 🔥Jaime Faria will get the most important win of his younger profession, knocking out Munar to achieve his first tour-level QF!@RioOpenOficial pic.twitter.com/4UzWN6QAc5
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 20, 2025
The Lisbon native didn’t personal an ATP stage victory till he defeated Pavel Kotov in Melbourne final month, however he did rack up 53 wins on the Challenger and Futures stage final yr. Faria performed seven completely different finals in 2024, and received six of them, together with 4 on the Challenger stage.
He’s a powerhouse who really carried out higher on exhausting courts than he did on clay final yr.
As he’s demonstrating in Rio, he is aware of his means across the clay as effectively. He cracked 35 winners in opposition to 49 winners in opposition to Munar, who managed simply 11 winners in opposition to 18 unforced errors.
“I’m so completely happy,” he mentioned. “In these tournaments it’s simpler to search out motivation to come back again stronger and provides every thing that I’ve in my legs and in my head.
“I believe confidence is the phrase. I believe my stage is there, and it has been there the final yr. I’ve a lot confidence and so many wins – let’s maintain it that means.”
Faria will face fellow fortunate loser Camilo Ugo Carabelli for a spot within the semifinals on Friday in Rio.
#Rio #Portugals #Faria #Reaches #ATP #Quarterfinal