Monday, August 25, 2014

Julien Benneteau loses all-French match, says something I couldn't understand afterward


Following his five-set loss to Benoit Paire, 24th-seeded Julien Benneteau told the media... I have no idea what Julien Benneteau told the media. Not a clue. I was in Interview Room 3 for his post-match press conference but the language barrier kept me from understanding a single word he said. I just nodded my head and pretended to comprehend the entire thing -- I don't think I fooled anyone, either.

Benneteau, surrounded by French reporters, spoke only in his native language, one I should know if not for Mrs. Klym's 8th grade French class falling right around my daily nap time in school. I chose to catch up on sleep after lunch instead of paying attention to her Ouis and Avoirs. Then last year, I gave the language another shot via a bootleg copy of the Rosetta Stone, but again, it went nowhere. I've just accepted I will never visit Paris or add La Règle Du Jeu to my Netflix queue.

As for the match, the all-French showdown went down to the wire with Paire taking the fifth and final set, 6-4. He advances to face Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round, while Benneteau, a semifinalist last week in Cincinnati, bids adieu to Flushing Meadows.

To bid adieu means to say goodbye, I believe. Double-check that.

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