No sign of an end to French men’s title drought in Paris

PARIS, May 22 (Reuters) – No French man has lifted the Musketeers’ Cup in over three decades and there is no sign of the frustrating and painful wait ending for one of tennis’s leading nations at this year’s French Open. A lack of consistency at the highest level, fragile bodies and an outstanding generation barring their way make it difficult to imagine a French successor to their last men’s singles champion Yannick Noah any time soon at Roland Garros. After it became an international tournament in 1925, the first eight titles went to French men — but since then, they have claimed only two titles, Marcel Bernard winning in 1946 and Noah in 1983. “If you want a chance to win the French Open, you need to arrive full of confidence, having won great matches on the surface and, let’s face it, it is not happening with the French male players,” former French technical director Patrice Hagelauer, the coach who led Noah to the title, told Reuters. “For the French Open especially you need to be in top shape physically and mentally. “Gael (Monfils) played the odd semi-final but then you’ve already reached your maximum and in the quarter or semi-finals, they hold on for a set or two.” Since Noah beat Mats Wilander 34 years ago, only the mercurial Henri Leconte…

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