When Naomi Osaka won her first WTA title at the 2018 Indian Wells Open, she made a bit of a stir. But no one thought she would beat Serena Williams, who had won 23 Grand Slams, in the final of the US Open later that year. When Osaka won the 2019 Australian Open, she proved that her victory wasn’t a fluke.
We know a lot about Naomi’s successes, but most people don’t know much about how important it was that her parents helped her do well. This article will give a detailed look at Naomi’s parents, Tamaki Osaka and Leonard Francois. We’ll look at how they broke with tradition out of love and how they raised Naomi to be a winner.
Who Are Naomi Osaka Parents Leonard Francois And Tamaki Osaka?
Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka are very proud of their daughter, Naomi Osaka, who is a tennis star. Naomi’s mother, Tamaki, is from Nemuro, Japan, and she was raised in a very traditional Japanese way. On the other hand, Leonard was born in Haiti but was a college student in New York when he went to Hokkaido.
Happy Mother’s Day ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0ishV3tbtl
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 9, 2021
How Did Naomi’s Parents Met?
Leonard was a college student in the early 1990s when he went to Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. Tamaki’s parents didn’t know about the couple’s relationship for a long time. When she was in her twenties, her father wanted to set up a marriage for her.
That’s when her parents found out that she was already dating a foreigner who was black. Her father was furious and blamed her for bringing shame to the family. He also tried to break them up.
Tamaki and Leonard got married in secret and moved to Osaka, even though there were a lot of problems in their relationship. Soon after, Mari and Naomi, the couple’s two daughters, were born.
Their ages are only 18 months apart. But when Naomi was 3 years old, the family moved from Japan to Long Island, New York, to live with Leonard’s parents.
Her Older Sister Mari Also Played Tennis
Naomi’s older sister, Mari, was also a professional tennis player until recently. If you’re wondering, yes, they have been compared to Venus and Serena Williams. The two sisters are very close and are best friends when they are not on the court. When they are on the court, they play doubles together.
In March of 2021, Mari posted this on Instagram: “I’m done playing tennis for good.” “It was a long, hard road that I didn’t enjoy in the end, but I’m thankful for all the memories and support I’ve gotten from the sport over the years.”
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Naomi’s Father Started Coaching Her When She Was Young
Leonard decided to teach his daughters tennis after he saw Venus and Serena Williams play. Naomi’s father, Leonard, was inspired by Richard Williams, and Naomi’s parents were so dedicated to her career that they moved to Florida so she could get better training. Leonard devoted all of his time and effort to becoming a tennis coach in order to teach his daughters the sport.
Tamaki worked to help support the family financially. Leonard Francois only cared about making them strong and able to win. He didn’t want anything to get in the way of his daughters’ tennis practice or hurt their grades, so he taught them at home instead of sending them to school.
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