Yannick Noah

Yannick Noah

born on 18/5/1960 in Sedan, Champagne-Ardenne, France

Yannick Noah

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Yannick Noah (born 18 May 1960) is a former professional tennis player from France. He won the French Open in 1983, and is currently the captain of both France's Davis Cup and Fed Cup team. During his career, which spanned almost two decades, Noah captured a total of 23 singles titles and 16 doubles titles, reaching a career-high singles ranking of World No. 3 (in July 1986) and attaining the World No. 1 doubles ranking the following month. Since his retirement from the game, Noah has remained in the public eye as a popular music performer and as the co-founder, with his mother, of a charity organization for underprivileged children. Noah is also the father of Joakim Noah of the NBA New York Knicks.

Childhood

Born in the north of France in 1960, Yannick Noah is the son of a Cameroonian footballer, Zacharie Noah, and his French wife Marie-Claire. After a sports injury in 1963, Noah's father returned to Africa with his family. He was living in Cameroon when he made his debut in tennis and was discovered at age 11 by Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell. He soon showed an amazing talent that eventually brought him to the French Tennis Federation's training center in Nice in 1971.

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, one of the four Grand Slam singles events. He dropped only one set during the two-week-long tournament, and defeated the defending champion, Sweden's Mats Wilander in straight sets in the final, 6–2, 7–5, 7–6. He remains the last and most recent Frenchman to have won the French Open men's singles title.

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. At the end of 1986, Noah received the ATP Sportsmanship Award, as voted for by other ATP players.

Yannick reached the quarter-final stage or better on 10 occasions at Grand Slam level.

He notably admitted using marijuana prior to matches in 1981,[1] saying that amphetamines were the real problem in tennis as they were performance-enhancing drugs.

In 1992, Noah received the Legion of Honour medal.

Noah was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005. He remains France's highest ranked player since the introduction of rankings in 1973.

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.

Davis Cup/Fed Cup captain success

In 1991, Noah captained the French team to its first Davis Cup victory in 59 years, defeating a heavily favoured US team 3–1 in the final.

This feat was repeated in 1996, when Noah coached the French team to defeat Sweden 3–2 in the final held in Malmö.

In 2017, Noah added a third Davis Cup win for France under his guidance as Captain, defeating Belgium in the final in Lille.

In 1997, he also captained France's Fed Cup team to its first ever win of that competition when they defeated the Dutch in the final.

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A/A 1R A 1R A A A A A NH QF 4R 1R SF 0 / 6 11–6 64.71
French Open 1R 3R 2R 4R QF QF W QF 4R 4R QF 4R 1R 3R 1 / 14 40–13 75.47
Wimbledon A 2R 3R A 1R A A A 3R A 2R A A 1R 0 / 6 6–6 50.00
US Open A 1R 4R 4R 4R 4R QF A QF 3R A 2R QF 2R 0 / 11 28–11 71.79
Win–Loss 0–1 3–4 6–3 6–3 7–3 7–2 11–1 4–1 9–3 5–2 8–3 7–3 4–3 8–4 1 / 37 85–36 70.25

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1–0)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner 1983 French Open Clay Mats Wilander 6–2, 7–5, 7–6(7–3)

Doubles: 3 (1–2)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponent in the final Score in the final
Winner 1984 French Open Clay Henri Leconte Pavel Složil
Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 1985 US Open Hard Henri Leconte Ken Flach
Robert Seguso
7–6(7–5), 6–7(1–7), 6–7(6–8), 0–6
Runner-up 1987 French Open Clay Guy Forget Anders Järryd
Robert Seguso
7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–2), 3–6, 4–6, 2–6

Career finals

Singles (23 titles, 13 runners-up)

Outcome No. Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 1978 Nice, France Clay José Higueras 3–6, 4–6, 4–6
Winner 1. 1978 Manila, Philippines Clay Peter Feigl 7–6, 6–0
Winner 2. 1978 Calcutta, India Clay Pascal Portes 6–3, 6–2
Winner 3. 1979 Nancy, France Hard (i) Jean-Louis Haillet 6–2, 5–7, 6–1, 7–5
Winner 4. 1979 Madrid, Spain Clay Manuel Orantes 6–3, 6–7, 6–3, 6–2
Winner 5. 1979 Bordeaux, France Clay Harold Solomon 6–0, 6–7, 6–1, 1–6, 6–4
Runner-up 2. 1980 Rome, Italy Clay Guillermo Vilas 0–6, 4–6, 4–6
Winner 6. 1981 Richmond WCT, U.S. Carpet Ivan Lendl 6–1, 3–1, ret.
Winner 7. 1981 Nice, France Clay Mario Martinez 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 3. 1981 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Wojtek Fibak 1–6, 6–7
Winner 8. 1982 La Quinta, U.S. Hard Ivan Lendl 6–3, 2–6, 7–5
Runner-up 4. 1982 Nice, France Clay Balázs Taróczy 2–6, 6–3, 11–13
Winner 9. 1982 South Orange, U.S. Clay Raúl Ramírez 6–3, 7–6
Winner 10. 1982 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Mats Wilander 6–4, 6–2, 6–3
Winner 11. 1982 Toulouse, France Hard (i) Tomáš Šmíd 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 5. 1983 Lisbon, Portugal Clay Mats Wilander 6–2, 6–7(2–7), 4–6
Winner 12. 1983 Madrid, Spain Clay Henrik Sundström 3–6, 6–0, 6–2, 6–4
Winner 13. 1983 Hamburg, Germany Clay José Higueras 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–0
Winner 14. 1983 French Open, Paris Clay Mats Wilander 6–2, 7–5, 7–6(7–3)
Runner-up 6. 1984 La Quinta, U.S. Hard Jimmy Connors 2–6, 7–6(9–7), 3–6
Runner-up 7. 1985 Memphis, U.S. Carpet Stefan Edberg 1–6, 0–6
Winner 15. 1985 Rome, Italy Clay Miloslav Mečíř 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–4)
Winner 16. 1985 Washington, D.C., U.S. Clay Martín Jaite 6–4, 6–3
Winner 17. 1985 Toulouse, France Hard (i) Tomáš Šmíd 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 8. 1985 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Stefan Edberg 7–6, 4–6, 6–7, 1–6
Runner-up 9. 1986 La Quinta, U.S. Hard Joakim Nyström 1–6, 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up 10. 1986 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Joakim Nyström 3–6, 2–6
Winner 18. 1986 Forest Hills, U.S. Clay Guillermo Vilas 7–6(7–3), 6–0
Runner-up 11. 1986 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Stefan Edberg 6–7(5–7), 2–6, 7–6(9–7), 6–7(5–7)
Winner 19. 1986 Wembley, England Carpet Jonas Svensson 6–2, 6–3, 6–7(12–14), 4–6, 7–5
Winner 20. 1987 Lyon, France Carpet Joakim Nyström 6–4, 7–5
Runner-up 12. 1987 Forest Hills, U.S. Clay Andrés Gómez 4–6, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(1–7)
Winner 21. 1987 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Ronald Agénor 7–6(8–6), 6–4, 6–4
Winner 22. 1988 Milan, Italy Carpet Jimmy Connors 4–4, ret.
Runner-up 13. 1989 Indian Wells, U.S. Hard Miloslav Mečíř 6–3, 6–2, 1–6, 2–6, 3–6
Winner 23. 1990 Sydney Outdoor, Australia Hard Carl-Uwe Steeb 5–7, 6–3, 6–4

Doubles (16 titles, 9 runners-up)

Outcome No. Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 1978 Calcutta, India Clay Gilles Moretton Sashi Menon
Sherwood Stewart
6–7, 4–6
Winner 1. 1981 Nice, France Clay Pascal Portes Chris Lewis
Pavel Složil
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Winner 2. 1981 Paris, France Hard (i) Ilie Năstase Andrew Jarrett
Jonathan Smith
6–4, 6–4
Winner 3. 1982 Nice, France Clay Henri Leconte Paul McNamee
Balázs Taróczy
5–7, 6–4, 6–3
Winner 4. 1982 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Henri Leconte Fritz Buehning
Pavel Složil
6–2, 6–2
Runner-up 2. 1982 Toulouse, France Hard (i) Jean-Louis Haillet Pavel Složil
Tomáš Šmíd
4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 3. 1983 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Henri Leconte Heinz Günthardt
Balázs Taróczy
2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 4. 1984 Philadelphia, U.S. Carpet Henri Leconte Peter Fleming
John McEnroe
2–6, 3–6
Winner 5. 1984 French Open, Paris Clay Henri Leconte Pavel Složil
Tomáš Šmíd
6–4, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Winner 6. 1985 Chicago, U.S. Carpet Johan Kriek Ken Flach
Robert Seguso
3–6, 4–6, 7–5, 6–1, 6–4
Runner-up 5. 1985 U.S. Open, New York Hard Henri Leconte Ken Flach
Robert Seguso
7–6, 6–7, 6–7, 0–6
Runner-up 6. 1986 La Quinta, U.S. Hard Sherwood Stewart Guy Forget
Peter Fleming
4–6, 3–6
Winner 7. 1986 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Guy Forget Joakim Nyström
Mats Wilander
6–4, 3–6, 6–4
Winner 8. 1986 Rome, Italy Clay Guy Forget Mark Edmondson
Sherwood Stewart
7–6, 6–2
Winner 9. 1986 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Guy Forget Jan Gunnarsson
Tomáš Šmíd
7–6, 6–4
Runner-up 7. 1986 Masters Doubles, London Carpet Guy Forget Stefan Edberg
Anders Järryd
3–6, 6–7, 3–6
Winner 10. 1987 Lyon, France Carpet Guy Forget Kelly Jones
David Pate
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Winner 11. 1987 Indian Wells, U.S. Hard Guy Forget Boris Becker
Eric Jelen
6–4, 7–6
Winner 12. 1987 Forest Hills, U.S. Clay Guy Forget Gary Donnelly
Peter Fleming
4–6, 6–4, 6–1
Winner 13. 1987 Rome, Italy Clay Guy Forget Miloslav Mečíř
Tomáš Šmíd
6–2, 6–7, 6–3
Runner-up 8. 1987 French Open, Paris Clay Guy Forget Anders Järryd
Robert Seguso
7–6, 7–6, 3–6, 4–6, 2–6
Winner 14. 1987 London/Queen's Club, England Grass Guy Forget Rick Leach
Tim Pawsat
6–4, 6–4
Winner 15. 1988 Orlando, U.S. Hard Guy Forget Sherwood Stewart
Kim Warwick
6–4, 6–4
Winner 16. 1990 Nice, France Clay Alberto Mancini Marcelo Filippini
Horst Skoff
6–4, 7–6
Runner-up 9. 1990 Bordeaux, France Clay Mansour Bahrami Tomás Carbonell
Libor Pimek
3–6, 7–6, 2–6

Music career

Since retiring from playing tennis, Noah 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. In 1993, he released the album Urban Tribu with the single "Get on Back", followed by the album Zam Zam in 1998.

With the encouragement of his manager Jean-Pierre Weiller, his musical career got a great boost in 2000 with his self-titled 4th album Yannick Noah, written by Erick Benzi and Robert Goldman. The single "Simon Papa Tara" was written by Robert Goldman. The album also contained songs by Bob Marley and the group Téléphone. In 2003, Noah released Pokhara that sold 1,295,000 copies in France.[2]

In October 2006, the album Charango was a major hit, selling 1,275,000 copies in France[3] and culminating in a one-year tour to promote the album. French radio played the singles "Donne-moi une vie" and "Aux arbres citoyens" from the album extensively.

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

On 21 July 2009, Noah made his U.S. live debut, headlining a concert in front of a packed house at the popular free outdoor performing arts festival in New York City, Central Park SummerStage. The performance was part of France's global music celebration Fête de la Musique.

In 2010, Yannick made a comeback with the release of Frontières, his eighth album, containing the single "Angela", a tribute to Angela Davis. It also contained a duet with Aṣa in "Hello". On 25 September 2010, he filled the Stade de France for an exceptional concert that was attended by close to 80,000 spectators.

Charity

Noah is very active in charity work. He supports Enfants de la Terre, a charity created and run by his mother, Marie-Claire, in 1988.

Noah also founded Fête le Mur in 1996, a tennis charity and adaptation for underprivileged children, specially in the poor areas and the banlieues. It is presided by Noah himself.

He is also a spokesman for Appel des Enfants pour l'Environnement that was started by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

He took part in singing with Les Enfoirés to help Les Restos du Cœur. He also took part in telethons and sponsored the Téléthon 2005.

He also sponsors the Association Terre-des-Hommes in Massongex (Suisse) and donated proceeds of his 2008 concert of Grands Gamins, to Sol En Si, an AIDS charity.

Partly because of his huge involvement in a number of charities, he topped the list of the most favourite French personalities according to a joint survey of Ifop and Le Journal du Dimanche in 2007.

Personal life

Noah's father, Zacharie Noah, was a former professional Cameroonian football star who won the French Cup with Sedan in 1961. His mother, Marie-Claire, is a former captain of France's basketball team and teacher. Noah has five children, of whom two were from his first marriage to Cécilia Rodhe (Miss Sweden 1978 and now a sculptor): Joakim (born in 1985) and Yelena (born in 1986). Joakim plays basketball for the New York Knicks and for the French team. Yelena is a model, already famous in the world of fashion. They don't live in France but in the U.S. With his second wife, the British model Heather Stewart-Whyte, Noah has two daughters: Elijah (1996) and Jénayé (1997). Now he is married to French TV producer Isabelle Camus, with whom he has a son named Joalukas (born in 2004).

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

Problems with the French fiscal authorities

On 15 July 1996, the French fiscal authorities demanded payment of 6,807,701 francs in back taxes for 1993–1994. The Paris administrative tribunal court confirmed the decision alleging that Noah kept three non-declared bank accounts in Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States. Noah disputed the court decision as unconstitutional.

Discography

Albums

Year Album Charts Notes Sales
FR
[4]
BEL
(Vl)
BEL
(Wa)
SWI
1990 Saga Africa
1991 Black & What Includes "Saga Africa"
1993 Urban Tribu
1998 Zaam Zam
2000 Yannick Noah 1  – 2 26
2002 Yannick Noah 16  – 40 82
2003 Pokhara 1  – 2 23 France: 1,295,000[5]
2003 Métisse(s) 2  – 4 28
2006 Charango 1  – 1 7 (including single
"Aux arbres citoyens")
France: 1,275,000[6]
2010 Frontières 1  – 1 4
2012 Hommage 1  – 1 19
2012 Combats ordinaires 1 162 2 20
Rereleases
  • 2004: Yannick Noah / Live (2 CDs – FR #134)
  • 2010: Charango / Pokhara (2 Cds – FR #103)

Singles

Year Single Charts Certification Album
FR[4] BEL/
Wa
SWI
1991 "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" 2 Saga Africa
1991 "Don't Stay (Far Away Baby)" 39
2000 "Simon Papa Tara" 12 32
2001 "La voix des sages (No More Fighting)" 3 16
2002 "Les lionnes" 16
2002 "Jamafrica" 52
2003 "Si tu savais" 22 31 77
2004 "Ose" 13 9 41
2004 "Mon Eldorado (du soleil...)" 19 23 59
2005 "Métis(se)"
(with Disiz La Peste)
11 22 41 Métis(se)
2006 "Donne-moi une vie" 8 5 46
2007 "Aux arbres citoyens" 1 2 41 Charango
2007 "Destination ailleurs" 8 19 Charango
2011 "Ça me regarde" 80 34 Frontières
2012 "Redemption Song" 48 33
2014 "On court" 47 42

References

External links

This page was last modified 18.06.2018 12:25:42

This article uses material from the article Yannick Noah from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.