Benoit Paire is one player who can play the creator and the destroyer with equal panache. His obvious technical gifts are matched only by his propensity to self destruct. Not for nothing was Marat Safin his idol while growing up.
Fortunately, against Yuki Bhambri on Thursday, it was more of his wizardry which was on show as he entered the singles quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Paire started as well as he could have. He was up 3-0 in no time. But as is the case with him, if his opponent stays with him long enough, there is always a chance that he will implode.
Bhambri’s first opportunity to put that to test came in the fifth game when he had two break points. But he let go of both. The second in particular should rankle him, for it was a bad second serve from Paire which he should have capitalised on. The 27-year-old Frenchman also served three aces in the game and all of them at clutch moments.
It was a pattern which repeated over and over again as Bhambri missed four more break point opportunities. Paire had to stave off one while serving for the first set, two in the second game of the second set — a period when a player, particularly of Paire’s ilk, can easily switch off after being a set up — and one in the sixth game immediately after breaking Bhambri’s serve.
In between all this, Paire went on a few hot stretches. There were some crisp volleys, audacious drops and an on-the-run lob from way beyond the tramline which was by far the shot of the match. At times, much to the specatators’ delight, it even seemed like he was playing exhibition tennis, taking quite a few balls on the full even from the back court.
“He is a difficult player to come with up with a strategy for,” said Bhambri later. “He is very good with the feel of the ball. He used drop shots on break points. That is something don’t expect. You expect something more solid. He is so unpredictable.”
Much before Paire’s artistry though, second seed Bautista Agut had managed to calm the nerves of a crowd which had had to deal with two days of carnage with both Borna Coric and Marin Cilic bowing out.
None of the off-season rustiness, which troubled the Croats, seemed to affect the Spaniard, as he convincingly beat Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 6-2. He will take on Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the quarterfinals.
Agut’s primary tactic is to absorb pressure and then grind his opponent to dust. It is a tactic which will serve him well against the explosive Youzhny next. But against Silva, a much inferior opponent, he was the enforcer.
“After two months, it is never easy,” Agut said later. “But I feel great on court. And I will improve through the tournament.
In doubles, the Indian duo of Rohan Bopanna and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan entered the last four after a 6-2, 3-6, [12-10] win over James Cerretani and Philipp Oswald.
The results: Singles: Second round: Roberto Bautista Agut (Esp) bt Rogerio Dutra Silva (Bra) 6-3, 6-2; Benoit Paire (Fra) bt Yuki Bhambri 6-3, 6-4; Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) bt Renzo Olivo (Arg) 6-1, 7-5.
Doubles: Quarterfinals: Nicholas Monroe (US) & Artem Sitak (Nzl) bt Steve Darcis (Bel) & Benoit Paire (Fra) 5-0 (retd); Rohan Bopanna & Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan bt James Cerretani (US) & Philipp Oswald (Aut) 6-2, 3-6, [12-10] .
