Benoit Paire says his “demons are back again” and he might have played his final tennis match after a spectacular tank job at the US Open.
The fiery Frenchman melted down against Cameron Norrie in their first round match in an embarrassingly one-sided loss.
Norrie eased to a 6-0 7-6 6-0 victory on a sweltering and humid Court 11 where the temperature rocketed past the 30-degree mark.
Paire lost the first set in just 18 minutes and the third in 19. He was so dispirited that at 0-5 down in the third, he even packed his kit bag despite there being another game to play.
There were suggestions from tennis reporters that he is facing a fine from tournament officials for tanking the match.
Paire, who sat down in a corner of the court to take shade during a break in play, will pocket $80,000 for his 98-minute defeat.
The entire match was only 15 minutes longer than it took Carlos Alcaraz and Sebastian Baez to play just the second set of their gruelling first round clash taking place at the same time over on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
On a tumultuous day, Paire was given a code violation warning after he spoke to his coach briefly during an extended delay of play as a result of a fan needing medical assistance in the grand stand.
He looked disinterested at times and raced through his service games, going through the motions as Norrie pulled of break of serve after break of serve.
Tennis legend Jim Courier joked in TV commentary that Paire had a pre-existing flight booked home later on Wednesday (AEST).
Paire, now ranked 173 in the world, came into the tournament with just four wins all year.
He remains a polarising figure having been warned for not trying at Wimbledon in 2021. He was also kicked of the French team at the 2016 Olympics for flouting team rules.
He said it might be his final tennis match if his head decides it isn’t worth going on any more after 13 years on the professional tour.
“I won’t say that this is the last time that we’ll see me in a Grand Slam,” he said.
“If I can rediscover the motivation and the desire, I think that the tennis is always there.
“In training, I feel very good. If my head really wants to come back, it will all come back very quickly.
“However, if my head says ‘you’ve played enough, that’s 13 years that you’re on the circuit, I can’t give any more’, it’s my head that decides, not my body.
“I’m not saying that it’s over, but in these conditions, it’s difficult to project/look forward. It’s a saturation. If the head come back, I know that I will be a good tennis player.”
He said his 2022 season is likely over.
“It’s a turning point,” he told reporters.
“Bad start to the match. It’s a little while since I’ve hit the ball. I stopped after Cincy [Cincinnati Open].
“I took a little holiday. Now I’m going back on holiday, so it was just a little break between my holidays. I did what I could.
“I was winning 5-3, I should have been able to take the second set. it would have done me good in the head, but my demons are back again.
“The double faults and that started again, always the same. I do what I can. I’m 167 in the world (he’s 173rd), I let myself go, we’ll see where it goes.
“I’m not sure to continue this season, maybe to stop here and see if I start again next year.
“For now, I need a bit of rest. I’m signed with Rennes, but really I have to cut it.”
Norrie had sympathy for his opponent and said: “Maybe the heat got to him”.
“Obviously it was really hot, and maybe towards the end of that third set he was playing really quick and trying to make the points really short, and maybe the heat was getting to him,” said seventh seed Norrie.
“He’s a really good guy. Everyone loves him on the tour, and he’s super talented, as well,” said a diplomatic Norrie.
“Yeah, I think he has days like this, it’s tough to be consistent on the tour playing like that.”
— with AFP
