Former Grand Slam winner Yannick Noah will captain France's men's wheelchair tennis team at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) announced on Thursday, December 14.
Noah, 63, won the 1983 French Open before guiding France to Davis Cup titles in 1991, 1996 and 2017. He also captained France to victory in the Fed Cup in 1997.
"Yannick Noah is today named captain of the French men’s wheelchair tennis team," the federation said. "His mission will include leading Les Bleus to victory at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games." The Paris Paralympic Games run between August 28-September 8.
"Yannick will take on this challenge because he's a man for challenges," FFT's president Gilles Moretton told reporters. "He's shown that. He's a leader of people," he added.
"It’s an extraordinary human adventure," Noah said. "The guys are fantastic. We’re only eight months away from the Games and, for the time being, our aim is to improve on a daily basis. The aim is to put them in the best possible conditions for the week of the tournament, and to perform at their best." Wheelchair tennis will take place from August 30-September 7 next year at Stade Roland Garros.
After retiring, Noah has become a pop singer, selling over 4 million albums, and performed at Bob Geldof's Live 8 concert in 2005.