According to them, one should always love as a mother and care as a parent. Although this does not apply to all, Leonard Francois suits this definition perfectly. Who could possibly forget the father of World Tennis Champion Naomi Osaka?
Apart from being compassionate, Leonard undoubtedly led his daughters into the world of tennis. It’s even more commendable in light of his lack of knowledge about the sport.
Apart from being an ideal father to his daughters, there is much more to his story, including his personal life, especially his marriage. We’ll talk more about him and his life as the father of a young prodigy in this post.
Naomi Osaka Net Worth: How Much Is She Worth?
Leonard Francois, the father of former World Champion Naomi Osaka, has not revealed his income. Francois has acted as her coach and has worked with her since she was a teenager.
Not to mention, Naomi said that her father is overly concerned about her matches. As she put it,
“I believe he can take long walks as a result of the tension caused by my matches.”
Naomi added,
“When I was a kid, my mother was always working; she worked a lot because my father was not with us. He was our coach.”
Meanwhile, Naomi, who is currently ranked tenth, has an astonishing net worth of $8 million. Additionally, she raises about $2 million a year.
Leonard Francois’s Origins – Childhood and Education
Who hasn’t heard of Naomi Osaka? In 2018 and 2020, the young Japanese girl beat Serena Williams and won the US Open title. Osaka’s victory electrified not just the tennis world, but also the media.
Among the factors that contributed to her victory was her father, Leonard Francois, whom we will address later. Leonard was born in the tiny Haitian city of Jacmel.
Francois, a young Haitian of African ancestry, moved to New York City, United States of America, for studies. Regrettably, there is no detail about his college or early childhood.
Similarly, his parents and siblings’ names and whereabouts are unknown at the moment.
Leonard Francois’s Age and Height: How Old Is He?
Leonard has not only kept his early life private, but the media is still unaware of his birthdate. While this is just an assumption, the father figure was born in the 1980s, which means he is possibly in his forties.
Francois’s zodiac sign is still unknown to us due to the lack of an exact date. Leonard, on the other hand, is not the kind to open his mouth excessively.
Leonard, on the other hand, has dark brown eyes and short black hair. He stands at a fit and stable 6 feet(approximately), but his weight and other measurements are undisclosed.
Private Life – Husband and Children
Leonard Francois’s life was not simple, even more so when it came to his marriage to Tamaki Osaka, his true love. Japan welcomed the first wave of immigrants into the country in the early 1990s. Leonard, a college student, was one of them.
Fortunately, he met his wife, Tamaki, in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, Japan’s most northern prefecture. Tamaki, on the other hand, grew up in a conservative society where biracial relationships were not permitted.
Leonard Francois’s wife and daughter
Japan was adamant regarding racial purity at the time, and the majority of children grew up learning these philosophies. Similarly, Nemuro, the town where Tamaki was born, adhered to Tokugawa’s decree and preserved Japan’s ethnic purity.
Osaka, on the other hand, was a bright girl, and her whole perspective shifted once she reached high school. As a result, Tamaki was more supportive of Leonard’s approach than other girls her age were.
Naomi Osaka’s Parents Are Married?
Tamaki and Leonard were forced to conceal their relationship during its early stages due to the Japanese culture at the time.
When the time came for Tamaki to marry, she simply revealed her relationship with Francois.
As anticipated, relations with her family did not improve, especially with her father, who accused Osaka of tarnishing their family name.
Despite the uproar, the two remained together, secretly married, and then relocated to Osaka.
Soon afterwards, the couple welcomed two daughters, Mari and Naomi, who are just 18 months apart in age.
Leonards’ wife, Tamaki’s family, separated her for more than 15 years, in retrospect.
The two families reunited in 2008, upon their return to Japan.
The sisters adopted their mother’s name in accordance with the Japanese Family Registration Law (Koseki).
The Osaka family lived in Japan for several years before returning to the United States.
While many people are unaware, Mari and Naomi did not begin Tennis as a hobby.
Their father, Leonard Francois, introduced them to Tennis and taught them how to play.
Indeed, the concept occurred to him on a random night in 1999, as he watched the Williams sisters dominate the French Open.
As a result of watching the act, he was motivated to train his daughters to be virtually undefeated, just like the Williams sisters.
He was, however, unfamiliar with professional sports.
Leonard followed Richard Williams’ blueprint and training regimen, who is also known as Serena and Venus Williams’ dad.
Francois started coaching his two young daughters in the hope of producing another Tennis player on the level of the Williams sisters.
After teaching them the fundamentals, Leonard’s family relocated to Florida in order to provide his daughters with better opportunities.
Leonard Francois Educated His Daughters at Home
Leonard spent his entire time with his daughters with the express intention of developing them into a Tennis power couple. Though his wife provided financial support for the family, Francois’s sole objective was to make them powerful and undetectable.
As a result, Leonard homeschooled his daughters rather than sending them to a public high school in the United States. He didn’t want anything to obstruct their Tennis practice while also allowing them to maintain their academic standing.
According to Leonard, this is one of the many concepts he incorporated into his training blueprint from Richard Williams.
Leonard Francois Desired for His Daughters to Be Japan’s Representatives
Among other items, the Osaka sisters are often questioned about their race. Additionally, their decision to represent Japan in international games raised eyebrows.
However, contrary to popular belief, Tamaki and Leanord have been adamant about this topic. Since their youth, they have wished for their daughters to play for Japan.
Naomi Osaka, daughter of Leonard Francois, is the World No. 10 tennis player.
In a nutshell, the girls are more attuned to their Japanese lives than to their western lives. They are surrounded by friends and family who care for them and help them.
Another factor that contributed to this decision was the United States’ lack of support. Mari and Naomi were not sponsored by the Tennis Association of the United States because they were both amateurs.
Additionally, Naomi has said that she feels more Japanese than American.
“My father reasoned that since I grew up with my mother and have a large number of Japanese relatives… I’m not sure… I don’t always identify as an American. And I have no idea how that feels.”
Not to mention that, under Japanese rule, Naomi Osaka renounced her American citizenship immediately upon reaching the age of 22.
Presence on the Internet
Naomi Osaka’s father is not involved on social media at the moment.
Leonard Francois: Quick Facts
Full Name | Leonard Maxime Francois |
Birth Date | Unknown |
Birth Place | Jacmel, Haiti |
Nickname | Leo |
Religion | N/A |
Nationality | Haitian |
Ethnicity | African |
Education | N/A |
Horoscope | N/A |
Father’s Name | N/A |
Mother’s Name | N/A |
Siblings | Unknown |
Age | approx. 40 |
Height | Unknown |
Weight | Unknown |
Shoe Size | Updating Soon |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Build | Average |
Marital Status | Married |
Wife | Tamaki Osaka |
Children | Two Daughters |
Profession | Tennis Coach |
Active years | 1990-present |
Net Worth | Under Review |
Salary | Under Review |
Famous As | Father of Naomi Osaka |
Merch of Naomi Osaka | Posters, Barbie Doll |
Last Update | 2021 |