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Yannick Noah turned as the ball sailed over his head and watched it land beyond the baseline.
He sank to his knees and pumped his fists, exchanged a cursory handshake with his beaten opponent, Mats Wilander, before running into his father’s arms.
His straight sets victory against Wilander – the defending champion who was just 18 years old – in 1983 certainly didn’t go down as one of the all-time great finals, but none in Roland Garros history arguably have been more emotional.
The embrace with his father, Zacharie, who had watched his son leave his native Cameroon to train in France 10 years earlier as a 13-year-old, became one of the French Open’s defining images.
“I’m really thankful that I’ve won my grand slam at home,” Noah told CNN’s Pat Cash. “I won, I practiced here, pretty much on this court, before the final.
“Then I go out and play and all my friends (were there), everywhere I look there are my friends and I could share this moment. It was complete and I think I got the energy from them.”
Noah was the first Frenchman to win at Roland Garros for 37 years, and no Frenchman has lifted the trophy in the 35 years since.
It appears as though the drought won’t end anytime soon, since the once golden generation of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon are nearing the end of their careers.
The French fans are notoriously passionate when it comes to supporting their compatriots on the red clay, with many suggesting it brings pressure the current players can’t handle.
Noah, however, feels decidedly differently.
“I don’t feel it,” he says, shaking his head. “I feel it’s love, man. And I mean, Jesus, people come and say they love you.
“Some people feel this way (pressure) but you are lucky enough to have a grand slam at home, you know? God, there are four.
“You have French, you have Australians, Americans and English but it’s such a privilege. We practice in Roland Garros so you have all the dreams right here.”
The 2018 French Open will take place from May 21-June 10 on the clay courts of Roland Garros in Paris.
CNN/Gianluca Costantini
Serena Williams turned heads in a black catsuit in her first-round match at Roland Garros, saying it made her feel like a "warrior princess." She also said it helped with ongoing blood clots following the birth of her daughter last year.
Gianluca Costantini
Rafa Nadal is favorite to take the men's singles title, which would be his 11th grand slam victory on the clay.
Gianluca Costantini
Serena Williams is playing her first grand slam for 16 months after maternity leave and is bidding for a fourth French Open crown and a record-equaling 24th major title, including both pre and Open era events.
Gianluca Costantini
Novak Djokovic hasn't won a grand slam title since 2016 and has slipped to No. 22 in the world, but he enters the French Open on a good run of form.
CNN/Gianluca Costantini
Young German Alexander Zverev is touted as the future of tennis but has struggled at grand slams so far in his career, his best result being the fourth round.
CNN/Gianluca Costantini
Andy Murray continues his recovery from hip surgery and won't be at Roland Garros -- a tournament he finished runner-up at in 2016.
CNN/Gianluca Costantini
Maria Sharapova is a two-time French Open champion but has missed the last two events at Roland Garros after serving a ban for testing positive for the illegal substance meldonium.
Gianluca Costantini
Pauline Parmentier will be flying the flag for France in the women's draw having received a wild card entry for this year's competition. She reached the fourth round in 2014.
CNN/Gianluca Costantini
Pat Cash claimed his sole grand slam singles title at Wimbledon in 1987. He'll be giving CNN his insight as a former player throughout the French Open.
CNN/Gianluca Costantini
A year on from her return to tennis following a knife attack in her home, Petra Kvitova says she is living a "dream."
Gianluca Costantini
Yannick Noah is still the only French man to win the French Open, since the Open era began in 1968. Noah's triumph at Roland Garros came way back in 1983.
Gianluca Costantini
Juan Martin del Potro's lone major title was the US Open in 2009. However he's struggled with injury since beating Roger Federer in that 2009 US Open final, missing almost the entire 2010 season after undergoing surgery on his wrist. After slipping outside the world's top 400, Del Potro returned to the top five in 2013 but another wrist injury meant more surgery and led him to miss the majority of the 2014 and 2015 season. But earlier this year Del Potro ended Federer's best ever start to a season to become the first Argentine to win a top-tier Masters series event when he was victorious at Indian Wells.
Serena Williams pulled out injured ahead of her much-anticipated fourth-round match against old rival Maria Sharapova.
World No. 72 Marco Cecchinato beat David Goffin to reach the French Open quarterfinals where he will play Novak Djokovic. Cecchinato described his win over Goffin as the "best moment" of his life. He shortly followed up with a new best moment as he beat Djokovic in four sets.
Diminutive Argentine Diego Schwartzman, who stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall, proved size isn't everything when he toppled 6-foot-8 Kevin Anderson to reach the quarterfinals.
Gianluca Costantini
World No.1 Simona Halep is bidding for a first grand slam title after three previous losing final appearances in majors.
Gianluca Costantini
French Open 2018: Sketching at Roland Garros
‘King of Clay’
The man to beat this year, once again, is Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard is going for a record-extending 11th title at Roland Garros having lost just two matches at the tournament throughout his career.
Noah had the privilege of watching the “King of Clay” up close during a training session and was left in awe of his prowess.
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“I saw him practice … it’s fantastic. You wanna show all the kids … this is the No. 1 in the world,” said Noah.
“And because of that I think it’s really good. I’m happy when he wins these days. It was not always the way, to tell you the truth. But now it’s something different, man, you gotta give him respect, man. Crazy.”
So how would Noah try to beat the seemingly unbeatable Nadal?
“I only play drop shots, only drop shots,” he laughs. “You’re going to miss points but I would serve underarm and every time I play drop shots.
“If he is at the net, I hit it straight at him,” he quips. “You have to try something!”
