<p class="title">France's Benoit Paire was fined USD 16,500 by the ATP Tour after an epic meltdown at the end of his first-round match at the ATP Washington Open.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Paire lost to Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Down 4-2 in the final set, the 55th-ranked Frenchman netted an overhead smash to surrender a break and a 5-2 edge. He smashed his racquet on the ground four times and kicked it in frustration.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Baghdatis tried to calm Paire but he hurled two more racquets onto the court, where a ball person collected them.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After a less-than-optimum effort on the final point of the match, he congratulated Baghdatis then walked off to a chorus of boos, blowing the crowd kisses as he departed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The fine, more than double the prize money Paire made for his appearance, was issued by the tour for an audible obscenity, unsportsmanlike conduct and a lack of giving best effort.</p>
<p class="title">France's Benoit Paire was fined USD 16,500 by the ATP Tour after an epic meltdown at the end of his first-round match at the ATP Washington Open.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Paire lost to Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Down 4-2 in the final set, the 55th-ranked Frenchman netted an overhead smash to surrender a break and a 5-2 edge. He smashed his racquet on the ground four times and kicked it in frustration.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Baghdatis tried to calm Paire but he hurled two more racquets onto the court, where a ball person collected them.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After a less-than-optimum effort on the final point of the match, he congratulated Baghdatis then walked off to a chorus of boos, blowing the crowd kisses as he departed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The fine, more than double the prize money Paire made for his appearance, was issued by the tour for an audible obscenity, unsportsmanlike conduct and a lack of giving best effort.</p>