Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin 20:53 p.m., June 05, 2023, modified at 20:56 p.m., June 05, 2023

40 years ago, Yannick Noah thrilled the France by winning Roland-Garros. An unprecedented victory, and to this day still unmatched, which marked the country. Consultant of "Europe 1 Sport", Cédric Pioline recalled this feat of French sport.

A forehand that comes out, the Central audience that lets burst its joy and his father who runs to take him in his arms: forty years ago, Yannick Noah won Roland-Garros, signing one of the most resounding victories of French sport that has not been repeated since in men's competition. On June 5, 1983, Noah won at the age of 23 the trophy coveted by any French tennis player, dominating the Swedish Mats Wilander 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), defending champion, finally succeeding Marcel Bernard (1946). A moment forever engraved in the memory of the French and that of Europe 1 Sport consultants like Cédric Pioline: "Yannick Noah has returned to people's lives. He made the whole France win," said the former tennis player at the microphone of Lionel Rosso.

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"My hour of glory"

40 years later, Yannick Noah evoked this final. That day, "It was my moment of glory. It was my home. Everywhere in the stands there were my friends, my family, the weather was nice, I was a boarder in this stadium, I slept in this stadium for a year when I was 16-17 years old, I dreamed of this place, this match, "recalled the former player.

A final that became a national memory for Cédric Pioline who was then 14 years old: "There were three TV channels, there were no computers, there was no internet, there were no mobile phones. And that moment, it was a national event, it was far beyond tennis and the final. The whole country stopped. At 20 p.m., there were images of deserted streets. There were the clamours that came from the houses with the windows open," said the consultant of Europe 1 Sport.

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The perfect tournament

But to accomplish this feat, Yannick Noah had to make the perfect tournament. The first rounds went smoothly. Without losing a set, the native of Sedan reached the quarterfinals where Ivan Lendl, world number 3, awaits him. While a duel against world number 1 Jimmy Connors was to be held in the semis, Frenchman Christophe Roger-Vasselin managed the feat of beating the American, and faced Noah for a place in the final, removing a thorn from his foot.

Roger-Vasselin did not exist in this match (6-3, 6-0, 6-0). Noah is then only one step away from the coronation that an entire nation hopes for. And the Frenchman does not tremble and puts Falander down. An unprecedented victory for French sport which, to date, has still not been achieved again. For Jacques Vendroux, this final has "given hope of winning at the France."