New Zealand tennis player Michael Venus is ruing his inability to clinch crucial points after he was knocked out in the first round of the ASB Classic by World No.18 Benoit Paire.
The Frenchman won 6-4 7-6, but Venus exhibited some good tennis in the two set defeat – and said despite knowing it would be a tough match, he backed himself to win it.
"He's a very good player," the Kiwi said.
"I had a game plan, I just tried to go out there and execute. I gave myself some chances and he came up with some good shots on those points and I didn't take them.
"Against those guys you don't get that many chances and when you do you've got to take them. I guess I was just unable to capitalise on the couple of opportunities I had."
Watch the video of Michael Venus' press conference above.
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