Forty years ago, Yannick Noah won Roland-Garros, signing one of the most resounding victories in French sport, which has not been repeated since for men. On June 5, 1983, Noah won, at the age of 23, the trophy that every French tennis player covets, by dominating the Swedish Mats Wilander 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), defending champion, succeeding finally to Marcel Bernard (1946). Forty years after his title, Yannick Noah was back on Saturday, featured on the Central of Roland-Garros, where he gave a concert on the eve of the start of the tournament, and a fresco retracing some of the great moments of life was was inaugurated on Sunday inside the stadium.
Achievement : Olivier JUSZCZAK
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Former French tennis player and singer Yannick Noah poses with the jersey he wore in the final in 1983, during the inauguration of a fresco retracing his life, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his victory at Roland-Garros in 1983, on the first day of the Roland-Garros Tennis Open in Paris, May 28, 2023. — ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP
Yannick Noah was present on Saturday on the center court of Roland-Garros, a few days before the forty years of his historic victory in this Grand Slam tournament.
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Frenchman Yannick Noah is pictured during the men’s singles final of the 1983 Roland-Garros tennis tournament, in Paris, June 5, 1983. — AFP
On June 5, 1983, Noah won, at the age of 23, the trophy that every French tennis player covets, by dominating the Swedish Mats Wilander 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), defending champion, succeeding finally to Marcel Bernard (1946).
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Frenchman Yannick Noah shakes hands with Swedish Mats Wilander while stepping over the net, after victory in their men’s singles final match of the 1983 Roland-Garros tennis tournament, in Paris, June 5, 1983. — DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP
The ideal conclusion to a successful fortnight, in particular thanks to an awareness, two months earlier, at the Monte-Carlo tournament, after a lack of seriousness in the preparation.
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Frenchman Yannick Noah shakes hands with Swedish Mats Wilander while stepping over the net, after victory in their men’s singles final match of the 1983 Roland-Garros tennis tournament, in Paris, June 5, 1983. — DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP
Seconds that followed this coronation, it is undoubtedly the hug with his father, Zacharie, who remained in the memories.
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French tennis player Yannick Noah kisses his father Zacharie Noah on the tennis court after winning the French Open tennis tournament beating Sweden’s Mats Wilander 6-2, 7-5, 7-6, June 5, 1983 — DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP
“This adventure ends with the dream of the family, the dream of Yannick”, underlines his trainer at the time Patrice Hagelauer to AFP.
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Frenchman Yannick Noah holds his trophy after defeating Sweden’s Mats Wilander to win the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris on June 5, 1983. — AFP
“This is my hour of glory. It was at my house. Everywhere in the stands there were my friends, my family, the weather was nice, I was a boarder in this stadium, I slept in this stadium for a year when I was 16-17, I dreamed of this place, of this match, remembers the former player in an interview with AFP. This tournament was everything for me and I won it… It was just perfect. »
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Yannick Noah gives a concert on the Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland-Garros, in Paris, on May 27, 2023. — DAVID WINTER/SHUTTERSTOCK/SIPA
Forty years after his title, Yannick Noah was back on Saturday starring at the Central de Roland-Garros where he gave a concert on the eve of the start of the tournament…
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Mats Wilander on guitar performs with Yannick Noah at Roland-Garros, in Paris, on May 27, 2023. — JEE/SIPA
Joined on stage by the one he had beaten in the final in 1983, Mats Wilander.
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Yannick Noah gives a concert on the Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland-Garros, in Paris, on May 27, 2023. — JEE/SIPA
He then stepped aside, leaving Noah to finish the show, notably with his first musical hit, the start of a successful conversion, Saga Africa.
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Yannick Noah gives a concert on the Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland-Garros, in Paris, on May 27, 2023. The children, Joakim Noah, Jenaye Noah, Joalukas Noah, on the right the wife of Joakim Lais Ribeiro. — JEE/SIPA
So, even if he is used to returning to Roland-Garros and on this court where he lived “the best day of (his) life apart from those of the birth of (his) children”, this time was not unusual.
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Yannick Noah gives a concert on the Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland-Garros, in Paris, on May 27, 2023. — JEE/SIPA
“To do an exhib, well it can still go even if it’s more and more complicated… but a concert, I was a little anxious”, he admitted.
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Yannick Noah gives a concert on the Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland-Garros, in Paris, on May 27, 2023. — JEE/SIPA
“It’s weird to sing here,” Noah said after a few songs. This short is magnificent, wonderful… You walk on velvet”.
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Amélie Mauresmo, Eleejah Noah, Jenaye Noah, Joalukas Noah at the inauguration of the Noah fresco, on May 28, 2023, at Roland-Garros. — MPP/SIPA
A fresco retracing some of the great moments in the life of Yannick Noah and in particular his victory in 1983, was inaugurated the next day inside the Roland-Garros stadium in the presence of four of his children.
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Inauguration of the Yannick-Noah fresco on May 28, 2023, at Roland-Garros. — MPP/SIPA
The colorful fresco, representing in particular his commitment to children, his victory at Roland-Garros immortalized by the embrace with his father Zacharie on the court, but also his mother, his victory in the Davis Cup as captain and his retraining as a singer , adorns a building named Yannick Noah 1983 located opposite the entrance to the presidential stand of the Philippe-Chatrier court.
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Gilles Moretton, Jay Ramier, Yannick Noah, Joalukas Noah, Patrice Hagelauer, Jenaye Noah, Joakim Noah, Eleejah Noah, Amélie Mauresmo, at the inauguration of the Yannick-Noah fresco, on May 28, 2023, at Roland-Garros. — MPP/SIPA
“These are moments for me, of joy, when I won the trophy, when I sing… it’s a bit like the story of my life. I am honored, ”commented the former player, converted into music.
2023-05-31 10:06:45
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