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Paire Ends 7 Match Losing Streak at Citi Open
9 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Benoit Paire has suffered through two dreadful ATP seasons in a row. This year before Citi Open, the 33 year old Paire owned a 3-19 record and lost first round in seven straight tournaments. His last win was in Geneva vs. Emil Ruusuvuori 64 46 75. That was in late May.
Today, Paire played another 33 year old ranked two slots higher than himself (110-112) and emerged with a rare victory. Paire’s victim today was Peter Gojowczyk 75 64.
This was the fifth time the two have played, the head to head was 2-2. Gojo won the last time they played in 2017 Metz final 75 62. Gojo also won their first match in 2009 in a German Futures final 64 64.
Paire won the two in between duels, 2011 Salzburg Challenger 46 76 40 RET. and 2017 Stuttgart (grass) 62 64.
With today’s win, Paire will now advance to the second round vs. Holger Rune who he has played once in Chile on clay last year, a 62 63 loss.
Paire has not won two main draw matches in a row since AO in January where he beat Thiago Monteiro and Grigor Dimitrov before losing to Stefanos Tsitispas.
At Madrid Masters, Paire won two qualies rounds vs Coria and Nakashima but lost first round to Schwartzman 62 67 16.
You have to admire Paire’s perseverance and persistence to extend his ATP career which urgently needs some victories and ATP rankings points to rebuild back to relevance or perhaps the top 20, where Paire once roamed at world no. 18.
Babolat · Benoit Paire · Citi Open · France
MATT SEGEL · August 2, 2022 at 9:24 am
I said to my son last night Paire won. It seems like it had been forever.
I saw him in Montreal awhile ago, and he had/has the most amazing backhand, great serve, great drop shots and a very mediocre forehand.
He also self sabotaged in a very dramatic way (He was up 4-0 in like 15 minutes and missed a first serve return and just lost it, screaming at himself, up down, up down, Allez Benoit!)
Great beard too!
Scoop Malinowski · August 2, 2022 at 9:37 am
Matt, Great admirer of Paire too, to me he’s one of the most aesthetic smooth tennis players I ever saw. Love how he plays, he has the talent abundance but the captain of the battleship just doesn’t seem to have the mind and mental equipment to guide the warship to the big victories. Yet he keeps striving and trying. Great win last night and hope it ignites something. I saw Paire vs Karlovic in DC years ago (only time they played), it was a three set marathon and Paire was mocking Ivo to his box in French, not knowing Ivo understood French. Ivo won and they almost had a brawl after at the handshake and then the walk off of the outer court back to the gym area (to cool down). I witnessed the whole thing and even wrote a story about it here.
Scoop Malinowski · August 2, 2022 at 3:31 pm
A totally random observation: In the Sock/Nick vs Arevalo/Rojer doubles match won by Socknick, three of the four players in the match all wore backwards caps, only Arevalo wore his cap normal frontwards, the other three were all backwards, I will research if this is the ATP record. Sock losing in singles now to Goffin 1-4 first set.
Scoop Malinowski · August 2, 2022 at 6:26 pm
Sock beats Goffin for the first time. Sock was 0-3 career vs Goffin and today was down 1-4 in the first set but roared back to win 76 64. That’s a big win for Sock and could spark his singles career. Korda also won beating Ivashka who has been hot lately. Brooksby fell to Nishioka 63 64. Atlanta fatigue I would guess.
MATT SEGEL · August 3, 2022 at 7:44 am
Nishioka is a tough player and because he doesn’t have all the usual weapons, he is not going to be confused by JB’s game because he’s had to play constructive tennis from the get go.
Korda’s malaise is surprising to me. He has all the traits of a top 20 player.
I like no hat!
Scoop Malinowski · August 3, 2022 at 7:57 am
Matt, Brooksby is like a bigger stronger better version of Nishioka, had to be the Atlanta final fatigue factor.
Cory Minto · August 3, 2022 at 8:36 am
Brooksby is unreal but De Minaur is just unearthly… The guy has the ability to turn a defensive position into offense regularly, his court coverage and shotmaking is atypical – yes he does have the massive forehand but so impressive how he turns D into O so quickly. Scoop what do u think of De Minaur? I’ve always said this guy would be top 5 if he had larger frame… IDK…
Scoop Malinowski · August 3, 2022 at 8:46 am
Cory, deMinaur is a marvel. He’s not even two years older than Brooksby but his progression is well ahead of the American. He owns a lot of super tough players like Opelka. No limits to where deMinaur can go, he’s a great player and better competitor.
Scoop Malinowski · August 3, 2022 at 6:09 pm
Paire lost today to Rune a routine 62 63. Deminaur was up on Nishioka 63 53 and lost 76 62. Nishioka is now 3-0 lifetime vs the Demon. That’s surprising.