By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Has there ever been a more chaotic scene on a tennis court than the scenes during the final-day of the France vs. Paraguay Davis Cup match in 1985? While the 1987 Davis Cup tie between the United States and Paraguay is a lot more well known for its crazy atmosphere, that ended in the crowd storming the court following Victor Pecci’s fifth and decisive win over Aaron Krickstein in Paraguay’s 3-2 upset win, Paraguay’s win over France two years earlier was even more frenzied and tumultuous.
There is no video footage that can be found on YouTube of the events that unfolded, but you can read details from my book “On This Day In Tennis History” (for sale and download as a paperback, electronic book and audio book here: https://a.co/d/eAx3PDh) of the events that unfolded on March 11, 1985.
March 11, 1985 – Paraguayan riot police storm the court to protect French players after Yannick Noah, star player of the French Davis Cup team, and his captain Jean Paul Loth, charge onto the court and allegedly strike a linesman, Roberto Velazquez, who the French accuse of making distracting noises against their teammate Henri Leconte. With Leconte trailing Victor Pecci 6-3, 1-1 in the fifth and decisive match of the France vs. Paraguay series, Noah and Loth charge the court and confront the linesman. The Associated Press reports that “There was danger of a riot as many of the more than 3,000 fans in the national stadium on the outskirts of the capital surged out of the stands toward the Frenchmen. Policemen with sticks moved in and, according to witnesses, struck at both the French players and the fans, finally restoring order.” Noah denies hitting the linesman, stating to the Associated Press, “We had a lot of problems with the umpires and with the crowds during the whole tie…One of the linesmen was making a noise every time Henri was trying to serve – every time. We went to talk to him, and that was it…This guy was too much. If he was some guy from the crowd, we wouldn’t bother, but he was a linesman. He’s a player. Two years ago, when we played Paraguay (in Davis Cup), he was a player.” After officials threaten to postpone the matches, order is restored and Pecci goes on to win the decisive match 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Pandemonium breaks out after Pecci’s win as French players, officials and media run for their safety. Says Noah, “At the end of the match, some of the guys (spectators) jumped on the team, and one of the members of the French press was knocked out. We had to send him to a hospital. It was scary. When we left the stadium, we had police following us all over.”
