Portuguese tennis player Jaime Faria lost in the final qualifying round for the ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo. Faria, the No. 2 Portuguese player and world No. 61, fell to Paraguay's Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, ranked No. 56. Vallejo won 6-4, 5-7, 7-5.
The match lasted almost three hours. Faria, 23, had four match points while returning serve at 5-4 in the third set. He failed to convert any of those opportunities.
Faria then lost his own service game after those missed chances. Vallejo then won his service game, securing the win and advancing to the main draw of the Japanese tournament.
Serves largely controlled the match. The outcome hinged on break point conversion rates. Faria capitalized on two of his nine break point chances.
Vallejo, however, converted three of his break point opportunities. This efficiency proved decisive in the close match.
This was a tough loss for Faria. To hold four match points in the deciding set and still fall short is difficult. Vallejo capitalized on his chances, converting every break point he earned.
Despite the defeat, Faria still has a chance to enter the main draw as a lucky loser. He is currently the first player on the list of substitutes should any participant withdraw from the tournament. His current ranking of 61st is the best classification of his career.
