After his retirement from Casper Ruud this Wednesday in Hamburg, Benoît Paire revealed that he had tested positive for the coronavirus again. Without knowing if it is a false positive, a remainder of August, or a new contamination. What saddens him, and makes him want to stop his season today.
He can’t see the end of the tunnel. For his third match since the resumption of competition, Benoît Paire recorded this Wednesday in Hamburg against Casper Ruud a third defeat, and even a second retirement, after 46 minutes of play (he was led 6-4, 2-0). The explanation came in the wake of a press conference, when the French tennis player revealed that he had tested positive for the coronavirus again, as in August at the US Open …
“When I arrived here I learned that I was still positive for Covid, he laments. The rule being different here in Germany, they let me play, but I was not allowed to leave my room except for an hour to train. And for me, life is not that. (…) I’m tired, it’s hard not to be able to go out, to have to stay locked up all day . I had no energy in this game, I couldn’t move, so I had to give up. “
Not the ending we wanted to see ?Pair is forced to withdraw through injury, meaning @ CasperRuud98 progresses at the #HamburgOpen. Hope to see you back stronger, @benoitpaire ? pic.twitter.com/sYjipPgGUZ
– Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 23, 2020
“The only thing I want is to finish this season, and to come home”
Decreased physically, without knowing if this is due to the virus or to remaining cloistered, Paire is even more mentally. “I was negative after the US Open, negative in France, negative in Rome, and positive in Hamburg, that’s all I know, and it’s hard to handle, he admits. I never know if I can play, my life is not interesting right now. The only thing I want is to finish this season, and to come home. “
In this context, it is difficult to count on a presence at Roland Garros from this weekend. “It will depend on the result of the test, sighs the world number 25. If it is negative I will play, if it is positive I will not play and I will go home. Both are fine. If it is positive I can seeing my family and my dog, if it’s negative I’ll be on court to give my best. Even if it certainly won’t be the best. “
“You have to explain the rules to me, because I don’t understand everything”
In the event of a forfeit for the Parisian Grand Slam, Paire hinted that his season should end as early as this week. “I think yes, because I am mentally exhausted, I cannot be at my best on the court, he repeats. I want to enjoy life a little, life is not Netflix and the Playstation in my room. “
Stating that he had passed two positive tests in Hamburg, then one negative on Tuesday, the Habs also asked ATP for details. “You have to explain the rules to me, because I don’t understand everything, he says. In Paris some negative people cannot play, just because their coach is positive, and here in Germany you can play while being yourself positive … “
