yannick noah

Yannick Noah

A national hero in France for decades, Noah became a cultural icon after winning Roland Garros in 1983 – the first Frenchman to do so in 37 years, and still the last to lift a Grand Slam trophy. Across two decades, he captured 23 singles titles and 16 doubles, attaining the World No.1 doubles ranking in 1986.

“I have always considered tennis as a combat in an arena between two gladiators who have their racquets and their courage as their weapons.”
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The son of star Cameroonian footballer, Zacharie Noah, Yannick was living in Cameroon when he was discovered, aged 11, by Arthur Ashe, and journeyed to the French Tennis Federation Training Centre in Nice shortly after.

After his playing days, Noah reinvented himself as a best-selling recording artist and passionate humanitarian. He led France to multiple Davis Cup and Fed Cup titles and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005. Noah heads a charity for underprivileged children and is an active environmentalist.