Yannick Noah will remain for a long time to come the last Frenchman to have won Roland Garros. Considered a legend of his sport, the 61-year-old former tennis player marked an entire generation during this legendary final against Mats Wilander. A victory that will follow him throughout his career until today, despite his successful conversion to singing. Settled in Cameroon for more than a year now, the artist has a good life and travels a lot. After a vacation in Jamaica with most of his children, he decided to give an interview for the current affairs magazine seven to eightbroadcast yesterday on TF1.
Journalist Audrey Crespo-Mara rightly returned to this magical victory at Roland Garros in 1983 and in particular to the post-match celebration. Came from the bleachers, his father Zechariah returned to the field to kiss his son and celebrate with him this unique moment of joy. “At this moment, dad had this idea to put even more emotion by jumping on the ground and the day I’m going to die we’re going to show this image”said Yannick Noah.
I wish everyone the chance to cry with joy in their father’s arms one day
A moment engraved forever in the memory of Joakim Noah’s father, especially since his father Zacharie, who was a professional football player, left us in January 2017. “I wish everyone the chance to cry with joy in their father’s arms one day”chained the father of five children, with a lot of emotion in his voice, before continuing: “It’s all the stronger that I have the film of this moment, which I will keep forever, which is in me. I cried for joy in my father’s arms”.
Having become an immense tennis player, Yannick Noah does not forget that without his parents, all of this would certainly have been complicated. “We talk a lot about the sacrifices of champions, but it’s mostly the sacrifices of parents”he says today.
A beautiful confessional interview from Yannick Noah, who talks about this defining moment in his life and the impact of his father Zacharie on his career.