The French Tennis Federation announced this Thursday the appointment of Yannick Noah as national paratennis coordinator.
It was expected, it's official. The former Davis Cup captain ((1991-1992, 1995-1998, 2016-2018) will take up his new role from 1is January 2025. A decision taken by the president of the FFT Gilles Moretton, in the middle of the campaign for his re-election, the outcome of which will be known on December 14. Captain of the French men's wheelchair tennis team during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Yannick Noah, who according to Gilles Moretton had worked voluntarily during the Paralympic Games, will now manage all paratennis practices within the National Technical Directorate: wheelchair tennis, deaf and hard of hearing tennis and blind tennis.
The winner of Roland-Garros 1983, aged 64, will have the particular mission of continuing the structuring of the paratennis department by steering the training and “high level” and by supporting the development of all paratennis practices in the region. The former captain of Billie Jean King Cup (1997-1998, 2017-2018), will also work on promoting the practice throughout France, in particular through days dedicated to young paratennis practitioners present in FFT clubs.
In the ParisianNoah returned to this expected nomination: “I’m here 90% because the players want it. Gilles (Moretton) is in the same dynamic. He's not here to give me a carrot, otherwise I have other things to do. I really like it, we have a lot of room for improvement.” Very close to the strong man of the FFT, Noah did not dwell on the investigations which targeted Gilles Moretton: “When you have this kind of position, like all those with responsibility, it creates jealousies. His detractors are ready to do anything, to go far, but I am not aware of everything”.
France