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Benoit Paire recently engaged in a light-hearted interaction with tennis fans, where he answered a few questions concerning his life and career.
Paire was last seen at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown exhibition event in Los Angeles, California last week. The Frenchman featured alongside Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik, Frances Tiafoe, Yibing Wu, Diego Schwartzman, Ben Shelton and countryman Gael Monfils.
While Paire failed to score a win against any of his three opponents - Schwartzman, Wu and Fritz - he was in good spirits following his appearance.
The 34-year-old recently held a Q&A session on Instagram, where he answered some fun questions from fans.
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One fan hilariously asked him if he would consider starting an OnlyFans account. Paire jokingly stated that his butt isn’t good enough to be successful on the site.
“I don’t have a good enough bum,” he joked.
On the tennis front, the Frenchman was asked whether he will be participating at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Paire, who is currently ranked as the 15th best player from his country, quipped that the only Olympics he will be contesting will be the one on PlaySation 5.
“Well, yes. If there’s the game 2024 on Play 5,” he said.
"I am happy when I go in a tournament and happy when I am at home" - Benoit Paire on his renewed liking for tennis
When asked about his goal for the remainder of the 2023 season, and his aim for 2024, Benoit Paire stated that he is hoping to re-enter the world’s top 100 and give himself an opportunity to play more coveted events.
“Getting back in the top 100 and being able to play the tournaments I love for 2024 season,” Paire, who is ranked No. 131 in the world, said.
Paire has been open about his mental health struggles and lack of motivation in recent years. Last year, the Frenchman, who was frequently unhappy on the tennis court and had taken to drinking, revealed that he was actively trying to rediscover his lost passion for tennis. He also trained at Rafael Nadal’s academy to prepare for the ongoing season.
The 34-year-old’s determination has been paying dividends off late. He has featured in three Challenger event finals this year, and won titles in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and most recently in San Benedetto Del Tronto, Italy.
Despite being forced to contest the lower-level tournaments due to his low ranking, the former World No. 18 said that he has been enjoying his life at the moment and is happy with his tournament appearances.
“How are you personally (in everyday life)?” one fan asked.
"Very good!!" Benoit Paire responded. "I am happy when I go in a tournament and happy when I am at home. So, everything is going for the best."
Following his first-round exit at the 2023 French Open, the veteran conveyed that he has been feeling optimistic about his level, and called the 2023 season a "transition year."
“I can feel that I have the right level. The head must now follow. I'm happy with all the efforts that I've been making for some time. It's a transition this year. I'm trying to give each match my best and to come back for a full season next year,” he said following his five-sets defeat to Cameron Norrie.
