Benoit Paire’s emotional message: “I’ve earned enough to quit, but I still want to compete”

Benoit Paire has expressed his determination to keep competing despite his struggles on the ATP Tour, sharing an emotional message on social media. The 35-year-old Frenchman is currently ranked world No. 468, with just 89 ATP points, and is set to drop nearly 20 spots next Monday.

Paire, a three-time ATP singles champion, once reached a career-high ranking of world No. 18 in 2016. Touted as one of the most talented players on Tour a decade ago, he never fully lived up to the expectations placed on him early in his career.

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Born in Avignon, Paire has often made headlines for his controversial personality, clashing with crowds, umpires, and opponents. He has also made unorthodox statements for a tennis player, openly admitting to partying and drinking before matches.

Currently, Paire is on a three-match losing streak in the opening rounds of Challenger tournaments, with his latest defeat coming against Dan Evans (6-4, 6-7, 6-2). With his ranking slipping further, he is at risk of dropping out of the top 500. However, the former top-20 player took to Instagram to thank his fans for their support.

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"I just wanted to thank you for your kind words and encouragement every time I meet you in real life," he wrote in his Instagram story. "Luckily, my Instagram messages don’t reflect reality, because otherwise, I would have quit long ago and would be on a beach with cocktails, forgetting all the hate!"

"I’ve made enough money to live a good life, and the easy way out would be to give up. But I still have the desire to play the tournaments that have made me dream throughout my career. Even though it’s not easy every day and there’s a lot of disappointment with every defeat, I’m happy to keep making the effort, and I hope to come back!"

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