French tennis has a storied history on both the men’s and women’s sides. During the 1990s and 2000s, the country produced a string of standouts, including Fabrice Santoro, Michael Llodra, Arnaud Clément, and Sébastien Grosjean. A new wave soon followed, headlined by Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, and Richard Gasquet — with the youngest of that group being Benoit Paire.
Unlike his compatriots, Paire struggled to make the same early impact. Simon, Tsonga, Gasquet, and Monfils all broke through at a young age, while Paire’s career was hampered by inconsistency and a mercurial temperament. Still, his shot-making talent was undeniable, and he eventually captured ATP titles and broke into the world’s top 20.
Paire turned pro in 2007 but endured several years of uneven results before finding his footing. Like many late bloomers, his best tennis emerged after age 25. He won his first ATP title in 2015 at Bastad, defeating Tommy Robredo in the final, and enjoyed his most successful season in 2019, lifting trophies in Marrakech and Lyon. His career-high ranking of No. 18 came in January 2016.
Freefall: Injuries and controversial behavior
Benoit Paire has always been known for his fiery personality — and perhaps no player on tour takes losses harder than he does. But in 2024, the Frenchman’s frustrations hit rock bottom. Playing in front of a home crowd at the Rennes Challenger, Paire was dismantled 6-1, 6-0 by Jacob Fearnley in just 37 minutes. The crowd responded with boos, and Paire, in classic fashion, blew sarcastic kisses toward the stands as he left the court.
Not long after that match, Paire announced he was stepping away from the game to heal physically. “No more tournaments while I’m in pain,” Paire said at the time. “I’ve had 12 injections in a year and a half, and if I push it, something is going to break for real. I’ll only come back if I feel capable of playing points, matches, and tournaments again”.
see also
He criticized the ATP, was called pathetic by another player, and is now into the Toronto Masters Round of 16
Paire eventually returned to the circuit in 2025 — but the drama followed. At the Lille Challenger, he drew headlines once again after berating a chair umpire mid-match. “What’s your ranking? You’ll never make it to the top. You really suck,” Paire told the official. “I’ve never seen someone as bad as you in my life — and I’ve seen plenty”.
Comeback — and another controversy
After announcing in 2024 that he would step away from the tour to get healthy, Benoit Paire made his return in 2025 — but, true to form, it wasn’t without drama. Speaking to French outlet Ouest-France in March, the 36-year-old admitted just how much he’d squandered in recent years. “I’ve thrown away two years of my career,” Paire said. “To get them back, I know I need to change a lot of things and keep stacking wins like this”.
The Frenchman added that, for the first time in years, he finally feels his attitude shifting in the right direction. “It’s been two years since I’ve had this good of a mindset on a tennis court. I still have a long way to go in terms of confidence and level of play, but I really believe I can get back to my best. I’ve stopped going out partying and drinking alcohol — I think it’s time to return to the elite,” he added.
