It was a different kind of challenge for Benoit Paire: wear a lungi and deliver a couple of Rajinikanth’s lines. The Frenchman rehearsed his delivery a few times before taking the plunge, and received thunderous applause for his performance.
When asked if he was a movie buff, Paire said: “I like French movies and watch a lot of them. Sorry, I have not seen any Indian movies. Maybe, I will get to see one soon.”
When he is not on court, Paire is busy either visiting monuments in Paris or trying out new dishes in Rome, a city he loves for the food it serves.
Gunning for revengeSouth African Kevin Anderson follows cricket closely. He is also a big fan of AB de Villiers. The connect between the two doesn’t stop there.
The versatile de Villiers is handy at wielding a racquet too, and even beat Anderson in the only match they have played.
“I was 10 and he was 12 at that time. I have to find him to get my revenge,” quipped Anderson.
The South African loves cricket enough to have spent four hours one day watching the South Africa-England Boxing Day Test.
“We have not been doing well in recent times. It was pretty bad during the India series.
“Hopefully, we will turn things around,” he said.
Warming upThis has been a pattern at the Chennai Open: footfalls increase as the tournament progresses, and reaches its peak on the day of the final.
There is no doubt that there will be more fans at the turnstiles than the 2,303 who filed in on the opening day.
