Paire & Tsonga Pause For Mid-Game Football Match In Halle

For a moment, you would have thought that Benoit Paire and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga were playing a game of football rather than a tennis match on Stadion Court at the NOVENTI OPEN on Tuesday.

Serving at 1-1 in the second set, Paire let slip his racquet after striking a serve. But instead of watching in disappointment as Tsonga’s return bounced past him, the World No. 28 got his feet involved, continuing the rally by playing foot-tennis. Eventually, Paire went for and missed a bicycle kick, but the crowd erupted with applause anyway. 

There was still business to get to, and Tsonga won the match 6-4, 7-5 to take a 4-1 lead in the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head series. The former World No. 5 will next play nine-time champion and top seed Roger Federer or Aussie John Millman.