Jaime Faria: “I Just Want to Make History” — Portuguese Star Prepares for Arthur Ashe Stadium Showdown Against Defending Champion Carlos Alcaraz
When Jaime Faria stepped off Stadium 17 after a dramatic five-set victory over American home favorite Jenson Brooksby, he didn’t yet know who would be waiting for him in the second round of the 2026 US Open.
What the 23-year-old Portuguese star did know, however, was that he had just survived the kind of hostile environment and high-stakes chaos that could serve him well in the biggest match of his life: a Wednesday night showdown against World No. 2 and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“The other player doesn’t need a presentation,” Faria told ATPTour.com after his opening-round win.
Overcoming Demons to Join Exclusive Portuguese History
Faria’s thrilling 6-3, 7-6(4), 4-6, 1-6, 6-2 triumph over Brooksby marked his first main-draw match victory at Flushing Meadows. With the win, the World No. 72 became just the third Portuguese player in history—alongside João Sousa and Nuno Borges—to win a main-draw match at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
However, as Brooksby mounted a furious mid-match comeback buoyed by a roaring New York crowd, Faria found himself haunted by memories of his third-round clash against Frances Tiafoe at Roland Garros earlier this year, where he surrendered a two-set lead.
“Always against Americans,” Faria said with a wry smile. “I try to learn from all the experiences, [such as] the match against Tiafoe. Today, during the match, I was remembering it all over again… To have the match under control and then watch the other guy turn it, it’s not easy.”
“I was thinking back [to the Tiafoe match], but it’s different because at that time there were different thoughts. I was thinking about bigger things like the fourth round [of a major] for the first time. Then, it was not the crowd. It was him starting to play very well. He was giving me no small errors.”
A Shift in Mindset Driving a Career-Best Season
Faria’s progress has accelerated since breaking into the Top 100 last season. Just two weeks ago in Cincinnati, he offered a preview of his potential on hard courts by stunning Ben Shelton to claim his first career Top 10 victory.
Currently sitting just two spots shy of his career-high ranking of No. 70, Faria attributes his rise to a renewed mental approach fostered by his coach, former Portuguese player Pedro Sousa.
“I think what made a big difference this year was more the mindset that I was putting on the work,” Faria explained. “All the time I’m working very well on court and off the court, but not with the mindset that I want to be one of those guys. I want to see myself up there.”
“I have some really good shots and I have done some good things in the past, but not consistently,” he added. “The key thing was to be more consistent during the whole year.”
Facing Alcaraz Under the Center Court Lights
Faria’s reward is a debut Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Alcaraz, who made a triumphant, pain-free return from a four-month wrist injury layoff on Monday with a straight-sets win over Roman Safiullin.
As Alcaraz aims to become the first man in tennis history to successfully defend major titles on all three surfaces, Faria enters center court unburdened by pressure and determined to leave his mark on the sport.
“Yes, that’s a big thing for me, for Portugal, and for my team, because pretty much all of them I know I’ve worked with since the past are all Portuguese and players that used to play at this level,” Faria said of his Grand Slam milestone.
“I want to keep going because I know I’m young and I can do greater things. Portugal doesn’t have a big culture in tennis, so I just want to make history, but also just try to continue my process and let’s see where it ends.”
