Benoit Paire

Plays with a two-handed backhand...Started playing tennis aged six with his father, who used to work at a mini-tennis club next  to their house...Father, Philippe, works at the SNCF (French railway system); mother, Eliane, works for the local government of the Vaucluse; one brother, Thomas, is a tennis coach...Favourite surface is clay...Favourite shot is backhand...Idol growing up was Marat Safin...Favourite hobby is to watch football (soccer) and is a huge supporter of the Olympique de Marseille...If he wasn't a tennis player he would have loved to play football...Favourite tennis memory is appearing at 2010 US Open...Nickname is "La Tige" ("the stalk") because he's tall and thin...Coached by Lionel Zimbler.

2011 -- The young Frenchman finished in Top 100 for 1st time with a 37-21 Challenger match record and 2 titles…Won 5 ATP World Tour level matches...In opening month of action, made successful Australian Open debut (d. Cipolla, l. to Ljubicic in 4 sets)…Following month, qualified in Rotterdam (d. Simon, l. to Ljubicic again)...In April, reached Challenger final in St. Brieuc (l. to Texeira) and 2 weeks later qualified in Barcelona (l. to Montanes in 2R)…In May, qualified in Nice and followed with 1R exit at Roland Garros, losing to Hanescu both times...Made Wimbledon debut and lost to No. 6 Ferrer in 1R and returned to clay in July and reached 2 Challengers QF and advanced to 2R in Stuttgart (l. to Granollers)...In next 2 months on Challenger circuit, reached 3 SF (San Marino, Como, Todi) and won 1st title at Brasov (d. Teixeira)...In November, closed with title in Salzburg (d. Zemlja) and afterwards broke into Top 100 for 1st time from No. 112 to No. 94...In limited ATP play, compiled marks of 3-4 on hard, 2-4 on clay and 0-2 on grass…Earned a career-high $216,513...

2010 -- Captured 3 Futures titles while runner-up at 2 others…Qualified in 3 ATP World Tour level events, including Grand Slam tournaments at Roland Garros (l. to O. Rochus) and US Open (d. Schuettler in 5th set TB, l. to Lopez in 5 sets)…Reached Challenger finals at Arad, Romania (l. to Guez) and San Sebastian, Spain (l. to Ramos)...

2009 -- Put together his best results in Futures events, winning title at Slovenia #3 and runner-up at Great Britain #8, Austria #7, Portugal #4 and Germany #18...

2008 -- Runner-up at Italy #17 Futures...

2007 -- Winner at France #10 Futures...

2012

Started season at Chennai...Qualified at Auckland, reaching the QFs...Lost to O. Rochus 63 67(5) 76(4)...Hit four consecutive aces for a love service game to go 3-1 up in third set...