Benoit Paire: Grand Slam victory? "I'd rather be in the top 30 and enjoy life"
Benoit Paire on his attitude towards tennis - and why guys like Nick Kyrgios are good for the tour.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Dec 22, 2020, 07:58 pm
Benoit Paire is someone who polarizes. And sees tennis more as a game that wants to entertain people. The big Achievements? Are rather irrelevant. Paire explained that in the book Out! - Histoires dingues et décalées: le tennis comme vous ne l'avez jamais luby Quentin Moynet , in the foreword that racquetmag.com has now translated and published .
So it's no wonder that Paire values his colleagues like Nick Kyrgios and Fabio Fognini. And the frequent criticism of Kyrgios is not good. "We criticize his attitude and say that he hurts everyone, has no drive and actually no desire to play - but in the end everyone watches him." Because you know that something will happen in the match.
Paire about Kyrgios: "A good guy"
At the Wimbledon tournament in 2019, Paire came into the locker room when Kyrgios had just lost to Rafael Nadal. Kyrgios had just left the square, ordered three beers, pulled them down and then went to the press conference. "Nick is a good guy, frankly, he doesn't worry too much and makes good money. The Australian media is taking him apart but he stays the way he is. He just doesn't care."
He himself was different in this regard, said Paire, some things would influence him, especially the difficult relationship with the French audience, the reaction of the press when he had to cut a racket again. He has become much calmer compared to before. Once he didn't want to play a tournament, but his coach forced him. "I hacked up all the clubs to avoid it," Paire recalls.
Paire: "I'm the happiest guy in the world"
He is often told that he has what it takes to be in the top 10. But also that he lacks a lot, seriousness in training, physical preparation. But: "Winning a Grand Slam tournament was never my motivation," said Paire. "I'd rather be in the top 30 and enjoy life. Play golf and drink a spritzer when I feel like it, instead of giving up everything to become number one." In return for anyone who would tell him he would have time for that later. Because they would never let go. Most would stay on the tour because they only knew tennis. "There's a void when you stop playing. But when I stop, I still have my spritzers, my nights, my golf ..." He would live a life that many would envy him for. "I make money, I have fun, I travel a lot, and I'm the happiest guy in the world."
Envious of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic? Don't be, but extremely respect and admire them. The three are champions, without them tennis would not be where it is, said Paire. "But damn it: when I see Rafa win the French Open and train at Queen's two days later for the grass season ... that's a different world." On the other hand, if he won Paris, would he go to Queen's or Wimbledon? Rather not. "I would probably end my season right away." He was number 18, won three tournaments, and has been in the top 100 for ten years. "It's a wonderful career."
The entire foreword by Paire can be found here - very readable!