Mercurial Frenchman Benoit Paire’s woeful run after returning from lockdown has extended, after he lost out 6-2, 6-1 in the opening round of the ATP 1000 Masters event in Rome, to Jannick Sinner.
The latest loss however, saw the World No 24 putting in little effort, but instead engaging in arguments with the chair umpire.
ALSO READ: US Open default ‘a big lesson’ for Djokovic
Paire’s return to the tour after resumption began in a first round walkover to Borna Coric at the relocated Cincinnati Masters. A week later though, he tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to withdraw from the US Open, but was also kept in isolation in New York and not allowed to train.
In Rome, he had allegedly asked organisers to schedule his match on Tuesday rather than the opening day (Monday) to allow him a day of practice. That request however, was denied as he was scheduled to play Italian teenager Sinner.
“Thank you @InteBNLdItalia,” he wrote in a Tweet.
“I made only one request that is to play Tuesday to have one more day of training with what happened to me in NEW YORK and as I play an Italian you put me on Monday !! #super#BRAVO @atptour #goodjob #notfair.”
ALSO READ: Emotional Zverev reveals why his parents didn’t make the trip to the US
PROGRAMMATION DE MERDE !!! Merci @InteBNLdItalia 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 J’ai fait une seule demande c est de jouer mardi pour avoir un jour de plus d’entraînement avec ce qu’il m’est arrivé à NEW YORK et comme je joue un Italien vous me mettez Lundi!! #super #BRAVO @atptour 👍🏼#goodjob #notfair
— paire benoit (@benoitpaire) September 13, 2020
Clearly miffed, Paire put in little effort to play but instead spent most of this time complaining. Twice, in the second set, he flung his racquet into the air in frustration, almost hitting the chair umpire on the second occasion.
ALSO READ: ‘Serena not good enough anymore to win Grand Slam titles’
Throughout the match, he had verbal exchanges with the umpire but was only issued one warning.
In one service game, he was also called for a foot-fault and even went ahead with his serve despite Sinner not yet in position.
ALSO READ: The default rule is stupid: Goran Ivanisevic
Paire/Sinner match in one gif
(🎥@Eurosport_RU) pic.twitter.com/ruT5NT75xF
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) September 14, 2020
And when Sinner was serving for the match, Paire looked like he was deliberately hitting the ball straight into the net. On the one point that he did get back into play, he didn’t move quickly to get back in position to play Sinner’s next shot.
Du très grand Benoit Paire ce soir. Je vous laisse son dernier jeu ici. C’est le meilleur. pic.twitter.com/hFscg8w3Xa
— Damien Dupont (@Dupont_Damien) September 14, 2020
“I had not played in 10 days, staying in my room,” Paire said after the match.
“It was a good training, I’m happy I played one hour. I even played one hour and four minutes. I’m happy I hung on for 1:04. I gave what I could. Jannik played very well.
Improve your two-handed backhand with our FREE guide
“The result does not really matter. I still have the doubles. I will try to entertain myself with Nico (Nicolas Mahut) and try to win a match.”
Paire, who has won just four games in two matches since the tour reopened will play his doubles match on Tuesday, against third seeds Marcelo Melo and Lukasz Kubot.
ALSO READ: Nick Kyrgios – A series of unfortunate tweets
