Noah vows to keep quiet in future after criticism of team
FORMER star player Yannick Noah has offered an apology of sorts for criticising France’s defeated Davis Cup team, saying he would keep quiet in the future.
Noah, who earned legendary status in France by winning the French Open in 1983 and captaining Davis Cup triumphs in 1991 and 1996, lashed out at the team after they lost the Davis Cup final to Roger Federer’s Switzerland in Lille last month.
At the time he criticised the preparations carried out by captain Arnaud Clement and said he was ready to resume the role if the players wanted him to.
Clement, who was given a new two-year contract despite the loss in Lille, said he was shocked by the criticisms and insisted Noah had no idea what he was talking about.
“Okay – there we go, that's an end to it,” Noah – now better known as a reggae singer – said in an interview with beIN Sports TV.
“Excuse-me, sorry, sorry, the next time I will keep my mouth shut, say nothing for several years.”
Noah insisted he had nothing personally against Clement.
“I just expressed an opinion that was shared by most of the people who were in the stadium [in Lille] . . . I was not having a go at anyone. I was just watching a tennis match.
“I have no desire to become captain again. That is not at all what I am about.”
The French were favourites to win the Davis Cup final with a trio of top players in Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet at their disposal.
But an arm injury hampered Tsonga and they were overwhelmed by Swiss stars Federer and Stan Wawrinka, who swept into a winning 3-1 lead.