Benoît Paire is going to take part in Les Traîtres, on M6. The channel confirmed it on Monday 9 November. I read it on Wednesday on the 7:32 train, and I had to read the format twice: several celebrities live together and try to unmask the traitors hidden among them. Keen’V, Anny Duperey, Baghera Jones and Alexis Laipsker are in it too. It’s hosted by Éric Antoine.
Silly question, but is a tennis player prepared for this? I made a list of what I’ve learned since I arrived at the newsroom. In tennis, when your serve clips the net, you say so: let, play it again. When you win a point off the net cord, you raise a hand to apologise. You apologise for winning. I haven’t yet found another sport that does this.
So we take someone who spent his career in the sport where you say sorry for a lucky point, and we put him in a game where you have to hide who you are. I’m told it’s television, fine, but what does that mean?
I looked for what might help him. He won three ATP singles titles and was world No. 18, so he knows pressure. Since 2025 he has commented on Roland-Garros for the digital platform of France Télévisions, the French public broadcaster, and he did it again in 2026. Commentating means saying everything you see. Les Traîtres, if I’ve understood, is the opposite.
Lying about your intentions, Maxime, is the drop shot. I set it up by showing a long down-the-line forehand. It doesn’t come off every time, but I set it up.
I’ve noted that. Something else struck me: he is still away from the tour, and in June 2026 he said he hadn’t given up on a comeback, because he wants to say goodbye to tennis on court, in front of the crowd. That, at least, is clear. Nobody will need to unmask anything.
Anyway, I still have a lot to learn. Especially about the let.
It’s true, we checked: Tennis Actu.
