Yannick Noah

Infobox Tennis player
playername = Yannick Noah


country =
residence = -
datebirth = birth date and age|1960|05|18
placebirth = Sedan, France
height = 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
weight = 180 lbs (81 kg)
turnedpro = 1977
retired = 1996
plays = Right-handed
careerprizemoney = US$3,440,660
singlesrecord = 476–210
singlestitles = 23
highestsinglesranking = 3 (7-Jul-86)
AustralianOpenresult = SF (1990)
FrenchOpenresult = W (1983)
Wimbledonresult = 3R (1979, 1985)
USOpenresult = QF (1983, 1985, 1989)
doublesrecord = 213–109
doublestitles = 16
highestdoublesranking = 1 (25-Aug-86)
updated = January 23, 2007

Yannick Noah (born May 18 1960, Sedan, Ardennes, France) is a former professional tennis player from both France and Cameroon. He is best remembered for winning the men's singles title at the French Open in 1983, and as a highly-successful captain of France's Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams. Since his retirement from the game, Noah has remained in the public eye as a popular music performer and as the co-founder of a charity organization for underprivileged children with his mother.

Tennis career

Noah turned professional in 1977, and won his first top-level singles title in 1978 in Manila.

Noah became France's most prominent tennis hero in 1983, becoming the first Frenchman in 37 years to win the French Open. He dropped only one set during the two-week long tournament, and defeated the defending-champion Mats Wilander in straight sets in the final 6–2, 7–5, 7–6. Noah also became only the second black male to win a Grand Slam singles event (after Arthur Ashe). He remains the last native to have won the French Open men's singles title; this title also represents the last time a wooden tennis racket (in this case the "Le coq Sportif TCO", a fiberglass-wood composite) was used to win a grand slam.Fact|date=January 2008

Especially endearing to French (and indeed many other) spectators was Noah's penchant for one particular tactic: when he was at the net and a lob was hit over his head, he would turn his back to the net, race back and attempt – often successfully – to hit the ball between his legs with his back still towards the net. Even today, when a player attempts such a move in a televised tournament, commentators often mention Noah's name.

During his career, which spanned almost two decades, Noah captured a total of 23 singles titles and 16 doubles titles. His highest singles ranking was third in the world, in 1986.

Noah won the French Open men's doubles title in 1984 (with compatriot and best friend Henri Leconte). He was also the men's doubles runner-up at the 1985 U.S. Open (with Leconte), and the 1987 French Open (with compatriot Guy Forget). In August 1986, Noah attained the World No. 1 doubles ranking, which he would hold for a total of 19 weeks.

Noah played on France's Davis Cup team for eleven years, with an overall win-loss record of 39-22 (26-15 in singles, and in 13-7 doubles). In 1982, he was part of the French team which reached the Davis Cup final, where they were defeated 4–1 by the United States.

Nine years later, in 1991, Noah captained the French team which won the Davis Cup for first time in 59 years, defeating a heavily-favoured US team 3–1 in the final. This feat was repeated in 1996, when France defeated Sweden 3–2 in the final held in Malmö.

In 1997, Noah captained France's Fed Cup team to its first-ever victory in that competition.

He notably admitted using marijuana prior to matches in 1981, [ [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/19/1023864457481.html Revelations uncover a father's anguish] ] saying that amphetamines were the real problem in tennis as they were performance enhancing drugs.

Noah was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005.

Post-tennis career

Since retiring from playing tennis, Noah has developed a career as a popular singer, performing throughout Europe. He began his music career in 1991 with the album "Black or What", featuring the popular track "Saga Africa" which he made the stadium sing with his players after the famous Davis Cup final win.

Noah made music news in the summer of 1997 with a new single entitled "Aux Rêves". His adaptation of "La Marseillaise" – originally written by Rouget de Lisle in 1792 and adopted as the French national anthem – succeeded in stirring controversy. The pacifist reworking of the strongly patriotic message of "La Marseillaise" led to protests from several war veterans' associations. However, it is now largely accepted, if not loved, as is Serge Gainsbourg's own take on the anthemFact|date=March 2007.

In collaboration with Jean-Jacques Goldman, Noah released a second album in 2000 entitled simply "Yannick Noah", and in October 2006, scored a major French radio airplay hit with the single "Donne-moi une vie" from a new album entitled "Charango".

In 2005, Noah performed at Bob Geldof's Live 8 concert – a fundraiser aimed at alleviating poverty in Africa.

Noah is very active in charity work. He supports 'Enfants de la Terre', a charity run by his mother, Marie-Claire, and founded 'Fête le Mur' in 1996, a tennis charity for underprivileged children.

He is also the owner of a restaurant in Saint Barthelemy in the French West Indies called Do Brazil.

In his later years, Yannick has earned the nickname "Tonton Yannick" (Uncle Yannick) from his French fansFact|date=April 2007.

Family

Yannick is the son of Zacharie Noah, a former Cameroonian football star who played professionally for Sedan-Torcy (France) in the 1960s and became a hero by leading the side to the French Cup, and Marie-Claire Perrier, a former school teacher.

From his former marriage to Cécilia Rhode (Miss Sweden 1978), Yannick has two children, Joakim and Yélena. The 6'11" Joakim played college basketball for the 2006 NCAA national champions and repeat 2007 NCAA champions, the University of Florida Gators, and was recently drafted by the Chicago Bulls of the NBA as the 9th overall pick.

From his former marriage to model Heather Stewart-Whyte, Noah has two children named Elijah and Jénayé. He has also a son, Joalukas, with French producer Isabelle Camus who is currently his wife.

Grand Slam singles final

Win (1)

ingles finals (36)

Wins (23)

Runner-ups (9)

Discography

* 1990 "Saga Africa"
* 1991 "Black & What"
* 1993 "Urban Tribu"
* 1998 "Zam Zam"
* 2000 "Yannick Noah"
* 2003 "Pokhara"
* 2004 "La Voix des sages"
* 2005 "Métisse"
* 2006 "Charango"

References

External links

*ATP|id=N022
* [http://www.yannicknoah.com/ Official Site]
* [http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=223 International Tennis Hall of Fame profile]
* [http://www.tenniscorner.net/index.php?corner=M&action=players&playerid=NOY001 tenniscorner.net profile]
* [http://www.rfimusique.com/siteen/biographie/biographie_6285.asp Biography as pop musician] , from Radio France Internationale