Benoît Paire won the challenger tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on Sunday. A small resurrection for the French since it is his first title in four years. Falling to 209th place in the world when the tournament started, the Avignonnais, seeded number 5, won in three sets (3-6, 6-0, 6-2) in the final against the Japanese Yuta Shimizu, 167th at the ATP.
While the gratin of world tennis is in Indian Wells, California, for a Masters 1000, Paire has not crossed any headliner in Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific coast. But the Frenchman, 33, still had to dismiss five opponents in total, including four in three sets, before winning this 7th title as a challenger. A worthy victory.
Benoît Paire, winner of three titles on the main circuit, had not known the taste of victory in a tournament since the ATP 250 in Lyon, in 2019. Thanks to this success in Mexico, he gained 40 places in the world hierarchy. , in 169th place. Still far, it is true, from what was his best ranking, in 2016 (18th). But after difficult years, everything is good to take.