Mason, Ohio – Delivering a commanding performance on the outdoor hard courts of the Lindner Family Tennis Center, Jaime Faria defeated China's Wu Yibing 6-3, 7-5 in the Cincinnati Open 2026 qualifying final. The 22-year-old Portuguese, seeded third in the qualifying draw, left little doubt as to who was playing the better tennis.
Faria Dominates on Serve and Break Points
The key to Faria's victory was his supremacy on serve. He held serve in 90 percent of his service games, winning 70 percent of first-serve points in the process. Nine aces underlined his dominance — Wu Yibing managed none. Even more decisive was Faria's efficiency on return: he converted 80 percent of his break points, winning 36 percent of his opponent's service games. Wu Yibing, by contrast, converted just 33 percent of his break points and saved only 20 percent of the break points he faced — a figure that lays bare his vulnerability on serve.
First Set Goes Convincingly to Faria
In the opening set, the Portuguese player set the tone early. Wu Yibing, who had previously beaten American Mackenzie McDonald in the first qualifying round, found little answer to Faria's aggressive baseline game. Faria converted his break points consistently and gave his opponent almost no opportunities to threaten. The first set went to Faria 6-3.
Second Set Tighter — Faria Keeps His Nerve
Wu Yibing offered more resistance in the second set. His 21 winners showed he was capable of producing moments of quality, but 35 unforced errors and three double faults cost him too many points at critical junctures. With the score level at 5-5, Faria struck the decisive break and served it out to clinch the set 7-5, sealing his place in the main draw.
Context: A Significant Step for Portugal's Number Two
For Jaime Faria, who made his Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 debut only in the first qualifying round, reaching the main draw is a remarkable achievement. His opponent Wu Yibing — the first Chinese player in the Open Era to reach and win an ATP singles final — fell short of his best on this occasion. The final statistics reflected the balance of play clearly: Faria won 54 percent of all points and was simply the better player on the hard court that day. As a key preparatory tournament for the US Open, Cincinnati now gives Faria the opportunity to prove himself on the biggest stage.
