Noah recounts his descent into hell after winning Roland-Garros in 1983: "I looked at the Seine and told myself: I’ll jump, I can’t take it anymore"
Yannick Noah is the last French player to have won Roland-Garros. It was on June 5, 1983, almost 42 years ago, against the legendary Mats Wilander. Thrust into the spotlight as a national star after claiming his first (and only) Grand Slam title, the former champion and singer opened up about the dark period he went through right after.
In the show *Mental Health: Breaking the Taboo*, aired Tuesday on M6, Noah spoke emotionally about his depression and the suicidal thoughts that crossed his mind:
"I survived a deep depression. And it was complicated because I was kind of alone. I was 23, in great shape. My priority since I was twelve had been to win that tournament in Paris. That was it. All my friends were there. Everyone I loved was there. My dad jumped onto the court. It was perfect.
Happiness was winning that trophy. And the next day, I was lost. I didn’t know what was happening. Everyone around me thought I was living my best life. But I wanted to destroy myself. I wanted to leave.
Because once I was up there, no one gave me the instruction manual. That period was really the feeling… It was very precise. I walked alone in the street, at night, in Paris. I waited until no one was around, looked at the Seine, and told myself: 'I’ll jump. I can’t take it anymore.'"
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