– New York Benoit Paire, an unpredictable French player, suffered a humiliatingly lopsided defeat to Cameron Norrie on Tuesday at the US Open. The British champion said: “Maybe the heat got to him.”
On an oppressively hot and muggy Court 11, when the temperature soared beyond the 30-degree mark, Norrie easily won 6-0, 7-6 (7/1), 6-0.
In only 18 minutes for the first set and 19 for the third, Paire was defeated.
Even though there was still a game to play, he was so discouraged after falling down 0-5 in the third that he packed his gear.
Naturally, it was quite hot. Perhaps because he was playing quickly and attempting to keep the points short at the conclusion of the third set, the heat was starting to wear on the seventh seed, according to Norrie.
For his 98-minute loss, Paire, who sat down in a courtside corner to get some shade during a play stoppage, will get $80,000.
The duration of the whole battle, which took place at the same time as Carlos Alcaraz and Sebastian Baez’s grueling first-round contest on Arthur Ashe Stadium, was just 15 minutes longer.
Paire entered the competition with only four victories on the year and is now rated 173 in the world.
After receiving a warning for failing to compete at Wimbledon in 2021, he continues to be divisive. He was also expelled from the French Olympic squad in 2016 for breaking team rules.
“He’s a very kind person. Everyone on the trip adores him, and he is also really gifted “explained a restrained Norrie.
“Yeah, I believe he has off days. Playing like that on the tour makes it difficult to be consistent.”