After testing positive for COVID-19 last Saturday and withdrawing from the US Open, Benoit Paire said his latest test from two days ago came back negative.
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In an Instagram Live session, the Frenchman, who is currently confined to his hotel room until at least Tuesday September 8, spoke for the first time since his positive result and appeared in good spirits despite his situation.
"I tested negative two days ago. I'll take another test to see. I feel very good, I have no symptoms, I never had anything, everything is fine," said Paire, who is the only player to test positive at the US Open so far.
"It's hard to understand. A positive test, a negative test. But that's the rule. We knew it. The moment you test positive once, you're out of the tournament."
Paire plans to go straight to Rome from New York where he will undergo further tests to find out if he did indeed contract coronavirus, or if his result from Saturday was a false positive.
"I arrived, I placed myself in confinement in the bubble like everyone else, I remained in the bubble, I did not move. What happened? I don't know," said Paire, who added that he'll be spending his remaining days of isolation playing video games.
The 31-year-old, who briefly spoke to his countryman Richard Gasquet during his Instagram Live session, is hoping he can at least get an exercise bike in his room so he can stay in shape.
A total of 10 players, including Gasquet and Kristina Mladenovic, were deemed to have had close contact with Paire and have been placed under further restrictions, but were still allowed to compete at the US Open.
Australian Associated Press