A former junior French tennis champion, Chatrier worked to create “open” tennis tournaments, resulting in the French Open in Paris in 1968.
“Under his impetus, tennis, a sport that was living in the past, became a major sport,” said French Tennis Federation president Christian Bimes. Chatrier was also in large part responsible for Tennis becoming an Olympic sport. He died June 23 in Dinard, France, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 72.