French tennis player tanks US Open first round match, packs bags before end

• Benoît Paire has a history of tanking matches.
• He did the same at the US Open on Tuesday, packing his bags before his match had finished.

The French tennis player Benoît Paire said his "demons are back" after tanking his first round match at the US Open.

Paire was beaten 0-6, 6-7 (1-7), 0-6 by Great Britain's Cameron Norrie in the first round of the men's singles on Tuesday.

At 5-0 down in the third set, Paire was seen packing his rackets into his bag before losing the match on his own serve.

He finished the match with 13 double faults.

"It's not easy since the beginning of the year," Paire told reporters after the match. "I feel bad on court, and it was the same today.

"I was winning 5-3, I should have been able to take the second set. It would have done me good in the head, but my demons are back again."

Paire added that he might not play again this year.

"I'm not sure to continue this season, maybe to stop here and see if I start again next year," he said. "For now, I need a bit of rest."

Norrie said he felt Paire was "not really there" at times during their match.

"I think he played a little bit too quick, and at the end of the day I went out and did my job," said the Brit.

Paire has a history of tanking matches.

Last year against Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the first round of Wimbledon, the Frenchman stopped trying on the brink of defeat in final set, hitting his returns into the net.

After being warned by the umpire, he blazed his final two returns into the stands before telling reporters after the match that he does "not care about the people."

Earlier in the year, Paire also admitted to losing in the first round of tournaments so he could earn easy money then relax.

"I arrive, I take some money and I go to the next tournament: I do my job," he said.

Paire will receive $80,000 for his first round exit at this year's US Open.