"Sad, boring, ridiculous": Benoit Paire complains on "pseudo-ATP tour"
Since the new start of the tour, Benoit Paire has only gotten a little better on the tennis court. He has now revealed the reasons on social media.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 12, 2021, 01:26 pm
Just a week ago, Benoit Paire had another big performance: In Buenos Aires, after a dispute with the referee, he refused to work at the end, gave the match with two completely absurd double errors ...
This week in Santiago it shouldn't go any better, Paire lost to junior number 1 Holger Rune in two rounds. Paire then kindly congratulated him, with best wishes for the future of his career. There was also thanks for his loved ones, whose support messages would have done him good.
Then, "thirdly," Paire started and came to the main point of his treatises. He now wants to talk about the ATP tour, "which has become sad, boring and ridiculous". He knows that everyone will tell him how lucky he should be ("blah-blah-blah"), "but playing in deserted stadiums with no atmosphere is not the reason why I play tennis." Either to stay in the hotel, to have to pay some other fine? Or the joys of traveling? "Tennis has become an insignificant profession for me."
And one that he can hardly do successfully under the current conditions: Paire's record since the restart in August 2020: Only 2 wins in 14 matches ...
Benoit Paire wants to find the fun of playing tennis again
It will take some time for him to adapt to this "pseudo-ATP tour", Paire continued, but he wants to begin efforts to "simply find the fun of tennis again".
He does not talk about the results, after some thought he will play the tournaments in Acapulco and Miami. "My goal will be to have a smile on my face and enjoy hitting a ball, whether I win or lose ..."
Paire recently wrote a lengthy text about what he loves about tennis - and why he prefers "only" to be in the top 30 instead of at the top. "I make money, I have fun, I travel a lot, and I'm the happiest guy in the world," he wrote.
It remains to be hoped that he will find this fun again ...