Benoit Paire lost first round match to Marcos Baghtadis in three sets.
French tennis player, Benoit Paire, who has a reputation of being quick-tempered on court, lost to Marcos Baghdatis in the first round of the Citi Open last night. He was booed off court after the completion of the match, having destroyed three rackets out of frustration during the final set of the match.
Trailing 4-2 in the final set, Paire’s service was broken after he sent an overhead smash into the net. While attempting the overhead smash, he couldn’t balance himself and found himself on the ground. Paire lost his cool, smashed his racquet on the ground four times and threw it towards the net in a spectacular meltdown.
However, it didn’t stop there. At the changeover, Paire kicked another racquet near his chair, picked it up and threw it across the court smashing it. Marcos Baghdatis saw his opponent on the bench and came to calm him down. Even the ball boys seemed very confused about the entire incident.
Check out the entire incident:
As the Frenchman got up to continue the match, he went on to throw two more rackets into the middle of the court. During match point, he didn’t even attempt to return the serve and smashed a third racket before he went to congratulate his opponent at the net.
After the match, Paire walked off the court amidst loud boos by the fans, blowing kisses to them as he departed. The 55th-ranked Frenchman was fined $16,500 for unsportsmanlike behaviour during the match.
The Frenchman clearly didn’t look to be in a very bright mood in the final set as he left fans shocked with his actions on court. It is even more surprising to see Paire involved in such an epic meltdown just weeks after he had said that he was a changed man.
