Yannick Noah embraces a new frontier leading Team Europe

On June 5, 1983, Yannick Noah became the first Frenchman in 37 years to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires. There followed one of the most iconic celebrations in tennis history, a moment of pure joy and national pride for France.

“The memory that stands out is when my dad jumped from the stands to come and hug me after the match point when I won the title,” Noah recalls four decades later. “That was like the best feeling ever.”

His win over Mats Wilander in the final not only captured the heart of a nation but helped cement Noah’s legacy as France’s highest-ranked male player since the introduction of the ATP rankings in 1973.

He would climb as high as No.3 in the world in July 1986 and claim 23 singles and 16 doubles titles across a career that spanned two transformative decades. No other Frenchman has won a major title since, and few have rivalled Noah’s universal popularity during his time on the Tour.

Now, in 2025, Noah embarks on a new challenge. He will make his debut as Captain of Team Europe at the Laver Cup in San Francisco, stepping into the shoes of his long-time friend and tennis legend, Bjorn Borg.

“Going to be the Captain of the Laver Cup is very exciting for me. It’s a great challenge. I really look forward to spending some quality time with the guys,” he says. “I’m going to try to make sure there’s a good chemistry between the guys. They come and try to compete for each other and obviously I look forward to winning the whole thing.”

Early years
Before he became a champion and later a chart-topping pop musician, Noah’s life took shape in Cameroon, where he was discovered at age 11 by Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell. The encounter led to his development under the guidance of the French Tennis Federation, launching a career that brought charisma, flair, and a distinctive attacking style to the global stage.

“I was one of the last serve-and-volley players,” he reflects. “I was obviously an attacking guy, going to the net every time I could, which is like something that doesn’t exist anymore.”

Noah is deeply in tune with the modern game and how much tennis has evolved since his days on tour in the ’70s and ’80s. “There are so many good players now. In the ‘80s, we were like 30, or maybe 40 real professionals, even though tennis was already professional,” he explains.

The standout champions of the ‘70s, including Borg, Guillermo Vilas, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, were the first players to have their own coaches. It was rare to see a player with a physiotherapist and masseur as well, reflects Noah. “Now there is like more people around the players and of course the level is crazy. So many good players now.”

Captain’s approach
His transition from tennis legend to team leader is shaped by decades of leadership – including captaining France to Davis Cup and Fed Cup titles – and a philosophy rooted in empathy and understanding.

“My approach as a captain has always been to listen to the player,” he says. “They are all so different, so I’m trying to ask them questions and try to get to know who they are as human beings. These guys are younger than my children, I’m just trying to give them this unconditional love, not to judge them.”

That approach will be vital when he brings together the next generation of European stars. He’s already named Holger Rune, Alexander Zverev, and Carlos Alcaraz to his team and is keeping a close eye on others during Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.

“I’ll check on my players during the French Open and Wimbledon,” Noah says. “Rune and Sacha and Carlitos, and then we have to look for a couple of other players and I’m going to of course follow my French fellow countrymen, especially Arthur Fils.”

When asked about Europe’s tennis dominance, Noah gives a nuanced view. “The last 20 years, you cannot really say that Europe was dominant. I think that Spain was dominant. So many players came out of Spain. Most of the people think about Rafa [Nadal] but [Sergi] Bruguera won a couple of times, [Carlos] Moya… so many other players played well.”

Most clay-court champions were raised on the surface, he points out. “Most of the people who did well in Paris are people who grew up playing on clay. Of course, you have some exceptions like Andre [Agassi] and some other people. When Agassi won, he was playing in Florida at Bollettieri [Tennis Academy] and they were playing on clay.”

Music v tennis
Noah’s relationship with tennis is inseparable from his life in music. Since retiring, he has become a best-selling recording artist, performing in front of packed stadiums – an experience he finds profoundly different from the battlefield of professional tennis.

“When you’re on a court you’re like on stage, and when you’re on stage you’re like on a court,” he says. “When you get on a court you don’t know what’s going to happen, so there is this stress. When you get on the court half of the crowd want the other guy to win, and the others want you to win. So, there’s always this uncertainty about the outcome of the game.

“But the difference when I’m walking on stage, I’m never nervous. The thousands of people who are there in front of me are people who love me. People pay their tickets because they love my music… while in tennis, sometimes your fans can be disappointed.”

The beat goes on this September as Noah prepares to lead Team Europe in San Francisco, bringing the same heart, passion and a hunger for victory that defined his playing days. Some things never change.