Benoit Paire: "It's not that I was an alcoholic, but I drank a lot"

The Benoit Paire of today is a far cry from what he was in his heyday -- a top 20 player with three ATP titles under his belt. Now ranked World No. 164, the Frenchman is looking to find his feet again.

March witnessed Paire win his first tennis title since 2019, at the Puerto Vallarta Open on the Challenger circuit. Following a run to the main draw of the Masters 1000 Miami Open from the qualifiers, the 33-year-old is now one win away from doing the same at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

In the first round of the Monte Carlo qualifiers, he beat compatriot Gregoire Barrere in straight sets. Paire will next take on Alexei Popyrin for a spot in the main draw of the season's first clay Masters 1000 event.

Speaking to RMC Sport after the win over Barrere, Benoit Paire opened up about how he turned his form around. The Frenchman revealed that one of the main changes he made to his life was snapping out of his drinking habit.

While Paire made it clear that he was no alcoholic, he admitted that he did drink a lot; there were no limits when he chose to indulge. Going cold turkey has paid rich dividends for the 33-year-old, who pointed out that he has lost a few kilos since making the decision.

"As the head was fine, I said to myself: 'Stop the alcohol a little too.' I did a detox. It's not that I was an alcoholic but I drank a lot, I liked it, I did too much when I often partied. I didn't set myself any limits. It paid off, I was able to lose a few pounds," Paire said.

The turning point came at the ATP Challenger tournament in Waco, where the Frenchman was hit with the realization that this - toiling in front of a meager crowd on the feeder circuit - was not the career he had envisioned for himself. A lot of meditation sessions and one long phone call with his mother later, Paire transformed into a new man.

Then came the run in Puerto Vallarta, where he also received help from compatriot Nicolas Mahut, a former doubles World No. 1 and top 50 player in singles. At the Mexico Challenger event, Benoit Paire was stretched to three sets in four of his five matches, including the final against Yuta Shimizu. But he managed to hold himself together mentally and go the distance.

"It all clicked in Waco on February 28 of this year," he said. "I couldn't find the motivation. I was wondering, 'What am I doing playing Challenger tournaments at a university, in front of two people?' I meditated a lot and had a very long phone conversation with my mom."

"I left for Puerto Vallarta with a completely different mindset," he added. "Nicolas Mahut can attest to that, he also helped me a lot after the first round (in Mexico) when I made the save a match point."

"Your message was a very nice gift and I am very grateful" - Benoit Paire thankful for invitation to play Monte-Carlo qualifiers

Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters - Qualifications / First Round

Benoit Paire was invited by the organizers to play in the qualifiers of the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters. That was something he did not expect, particularly in light of his scathing remarks about the tournament a few years ago.

During the COVID-19 edition, Paire had likened the courts in Monte-Carlo to a cemetery, which he has come to regret since. The 33-year-old is grateful that the tournament organizers invited him to play once more, stating that it was a "very nice" gift.

"During the COVID edition, I said things... not too nice. I said that the track was a cemetery, for example, but I wanted to add that it was the most beautiful tournament in the world," Benoit Paire said. "Together with my agent, despite this, we decided send a proposal and your response touched me very much. Your message was a very nice gift and I am very grateful."