Frenchman Fabrice Santoro pulled the curtain on a remarkable and atypical career by losing to American James Blake in the first round of the Paris Masters on Sunday.

The oldest player on the men's circuit, Santoro, who will turn 37 next month, confirmed after a 6-4 6-3 defeat that he was now retiring.

"I've had lots of fun but now it is time to take a break," he said after his 15th and final Paris Masters appearance.

The pocket-sized Santoro, once nicknamed "the magician" by Pete Sampras for his habit of mystifying bigger, stronger opponents, had earlier suggested he might play the Australian Open in January before bowing out.

(Reporting by Patrick Vignal; editing by Kevin Fylan)