Ronald Agenor, the greatest tennis player to ever represent Haiti, said he will help with fund-raising efforts for his earthquake-ravaged country, but also blames the United States and the international community for his nation’s infrastructure problems that has led to such a massive loss of life in Tuesday’s devastating earthquake.
In an interview with the French media outlet FRANCE-SOIR, Agenor, a French Open quarterfinalist in 1989, said, “I am annoyed to see all these famous names who appear on television to call for mobilization. I accuse the international community, especially the United States who have left Haiti in abject poverty for many years. The country is destroyed. Everything has to be rebuilt. I just hope that in the future we have vital infrastructure such as ambulances, hospitals and firefighters.”
Agenor said he has not heard yet from his fellow professional athletes about helping Haiti, but he said he will soon start conversations about creating tennis exhibitions to raise money for relief and re-building efforts. He said he plans to call 1983 French Open champion Yannick Noah, who is now a popular French recording artist.
“I will try to organize exhibitions of tennis in the world to raise funds,” said Agenor. “I’ll call Yannick Noah and the great players to talk to them. There are not millions but billions that Haiti needs to rebuild. We need leadership like that of France for example.”
Agenor was teaching tennis in Guadeloupe when he was told of the earthquake.
“It was a great moment of panic but I learned quickly that my brother was unharmed,” said Agenor. “I have a picture of me outside the presidential palace. When I saw on television what was left, I knew it was a disaster. I’m going to Haiti as soon as I can to give them my support.”
According to Corriere.com, Agenor learned that all of his family survived via Facebook.com, but he also learned a good friend of his had been killed.
On his Facebook page, Agenor posted; “I am currently in Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean, and I want to thank all the people from this French Island that are doing all they can to send food, water, blankets, doctors, funds and more. Truly an amazing. It is painful to watch so much devastation in Haiti. My prayers to all the families in pain.”
Nick-named “The Haitian Sensation,” Agenor reached a career-high ranking of No. 22 in 1989, the year he achieved his best career result by reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open. He won three career ATP singles titles and also reached the fourth round of the 1988 U.S. Open. He won over $2 million in his career.
He was born in Morocco and also lived in Zaire before settling in Bordeaux, France at age 14. His father was a U.N. diplomat and also was Haïti’s Minister of Agriculture in the 1980s.
The earthquake registered 7.0 on the Richter scale and destroyed virtually all of Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital. The Presidential Palace as well as the Haitian national cathedral were completely destroyed. Estimates as of Friday are that over 50,000 people have died in the disaster.