In 1986, Bernard Hinault won his fifth Tour de France, the last victory of a Frenchman in the Grande Boucle. While French men’s cycling has suffered from 40 years of drought, it is still overshadowed by another sport: tennis. On June 5, 1983, Yannick Noah achieved the feat of winning Roland-Garros. The public didn’t know it then, but this success would be the last of a Frenchman in a Grand Slam for several decades. Despite this, France has never lacked talent. Players like Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Gaël Monfils, and Richard Gasquet represent a generation full of talent but have never been able to break through the glass ceiling.
43 years of drought: a (too) heavy legacy to bear?
In an interview with Le Figaro, Yannick Noah opened up about the expectations and pressure that weigh on French shoulders at Roland-Garros. “Today, there’s Sinner and Alcaraz, so winning a Grand Slam is very tough,” acknowledges Yannick Noah. He adds, “If at the end of a player’s career, they were world number four but never won a Grand Slam, it’s still a damn good career.”
According to him, the French mentality is also responsible for the players’ performances. “I find it a bit unfair for a kid to keep coming to France every time and be asked, ‘When will he win?’ We are all somewhat responsible,” he concludes.
Yannick Noah, who is now injured and plays para-tennis, praises the calmness of Carlos Alcaraz. “A good player is someone who is lighthearted,” he explains, “I had the chance to spend time with Alcaraz, with him there is a sense of calmness. If you win, that’s great, but if you don’t, we are behind you.”
A different tournament: “Today, it’s something completely different.”
Over 43 years, Roland-Garros has changed significantly. “It’s the modern Roland, with incredible improvements. The Center Court is a cathedral, it’s sublime,” says Yannick Noah. He reminisces, “When I won Roland, my number was in the phone book. Today, it’s so different, with social media, all of that. You have to manage it.”
With the presence of the internet, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), this pressure is further heightened. “How do you cope when you are insulted by hundreds of thousands of people? How do you handle that?” questions Yannick Noah.
Despite the differences between generations, Yannick Noah gets along well with the “youngsters” of French sports. “I’m like their uncle, because they can’t call me grandpa yet.”
