Joakim Noah Defensive Player of the Year. Noah was born in New York City, to French singer and former world No. 3 tennis player Yannick Noah, winner of the French Open in 1983, and Cécilia Rodhe, Miss Sweden and fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 1978. His grandfather Zacharie Noah was a Cameroonian professional football player, winner of the Coupe de France in 1961. Noah lived in Paris, France from 1988 to 1998 and returned to New York City at age 13. He played high school basketball for the United Nations International School, Poly Prep Country Day School and Lawrenceville School. Considered a
Smash (tennis) the "skyhook", a version of the overhead smash in which the Eastern grip used to hit the ball further behind the body than is possible with a traditional overhead smash. Pete Sampras (and before him Yannick Noah) popularized the "jump smash", where the player jumps and then hits the smash in mid-air. The shot is often also called a slam dunk, as in basketball. Smash (tennis) A smash in tennis is a shot that is hit above the hitter's head with a serve-like motion. It is also referred to as an overhead. A smash can usually be hit with a