"There was nothing of me except a photo in a hallway" -  French former winner Yannick Noah recalls Roland Garros visit

Yannick Noah became the first Frenchman to win the French Open in 37 years when he won the 1983 title, in what was one of the most famous campaigns of all time at the claycourt Major. However, Noah feared he was almost forgotten at Roland Garros when he visited the venue a couple of years ago.

The 62-year-old recently recalled that he could not find anything more than a photo of himself in the hallway during his visit to Roland Garros. Noah opened up about his experience during an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche, expressing concern about whether his kids would even get a ticket for matches at the Grand Slam event when he is not around.

"Two years ago, I was at Roland (Garros) with my children. In the stadium, there was nothing of me except a photo in a hallway," Yannick Noah said. "I say to myself: 'When I'm gone, if my kids come to Roland, are we going to give them a ticket or not?'"

The 2023 French Open will mark the 40th anniversary of Noah's historic title at the Major tournament. He expected there would be no ceremony or even a small tribute for him on this special occasion, but Noah was pleasantly surprised when he learned that former player Gilles Moretton, who is now the president of the French Tennis Federation, has planned something special to mark the occasion.

"Yes, it's been forty years and it's not tomorrow the day before (that a Frenchman will succeed him). To mark the occasion during the next edition, Gilles (Moretton) has planned something. It's cool because I thought for a moment that there would never be anything, not even a symbolic thing," Noah expressed.

No Frenchman has won the French Open men's singles title since Noah's victory in 1983.

How Yannick Noah won the 1983 French Open title

Yannick Noah at the 1983 French Open.

Yannick Noah was the sixth seed at the 1983 French Open and showed some great form right from the start of the tournament. Noah won his first four matches without dropping a single set and played just two tiebreaks in his first 12 sets at the tournament.

He defeated Australia's John Gilbert Alexander to set up a quarterfinal clash against third seed Ivan Lendl, one of the favorites for the title. Noah dropped his first set of the tournament against Lendl, but won the match 7-6, 6-2, 5-7, 6-0 to reach the semifinals.

He faced fellow Frenchman Christophe Roger-Vasselin in the last-four and won the match in straight sets to reach his maiden Grand Slam final. He then defeated fifth seed and defending champion Mats Wilander, again in straight sets to clinch his maiden French Open title.