They believe that one should always love like a mother and care like a parent. Although this does not apply to everyone, Leonard Francois fits this criterion. Who could anyone forget World Tennis Champion Naomi Osaka’s father?
Leonard Francois, aside from being kind, surely guided his daughters toward the world of tennis. It’s even more impressive given his lack of information about the sport.
Apart from being an excellent parent to his girls, he has a rich personal life, particularly in his marriage. In this piece, we’ll learn more about him and his life as the father of a child genius.
Net Worth
Leonard Francois, the father of former World Champion Naomi Osaka, has not disclosed his net worth. Francois has been her mentor and collaborator since she was a teenager.
Naomi also stated that her father is extremely anxious about her matches. She phrased it this way:
“I suppose he can go on long walks as a result of the stress from my matches.”
Naomi continued,
“When I was a kid, my mother was always working; she worked a lot because my father wasn’t there.” He was our trainer.”
Naomi, who is presently placed ninth, has an incredible net worth of $8 million. She also raises roughly $2 million per year.
Childhood And Education in Leonard Francois
Naomi Osaka is a household name. The little Japanese kid defeated Serena Williams and won the US Open in 2018 and 2020. Not only did Osaka’s victory electrify the tennis world, but also the media.
Her father, Leonard Francois, who will be discussed later, was one of the causes that contributed to her success. Leonard was born in the Haitian village of Jacmel.
Francois, a young Haitian of African origin, relocated to New York City, USA, for education. Unfortunately, there is no information regarding his college or early youth.
Similarly, the names and whereabouts of his parents and siblings are unknown at this time.
Leonard Francois Body Structure And Age: How Old Is He?
Leonard has not only kept his early life private, but his birthdate is still unknown to the media. While this is only a guess, the father figure was born in the 1980s, implying he is in his forties.
We don’t know what Francois’s zodiac sign is because we don’t know when he was born. Leonard, on the other hand, is not the type to open his mouth a lot.
Leonard, on the other hand, is a young man with dark brown eyes and short black hair. He is a fit and stable 6 feet (roughly), but his weight and other measurements are unknown.
Relationship Status
Leonard Francois’ life was not easy, especially after he married his true love, Tamaki Osaka. The first wave of immigrants to Japan arrived in the early 1990s. One of them was Leonard, a college student.
He met his wife, Tamaki, fortunately, in Sapporo, the city of Hokkaido, Japan’s most northern prefecture. Tamaki, on the other hand, was raised in a traditional community where interracial couples were frowned upon.
During the period, Japan was concerned about racial purity, and the majority of children grew up studying these ideals. Similarly, Tamaki’s birthplace, Nemuro, followed Tokugawa’s decree and safeguarded Japan’s ethnic purity.
Osaka, on the other hand, was a bright young lady whose entire outlook changed once she reached high school. As a result, Tamaki supported Leonard’s approach more than other girls her age.
Are Naomi Osaka’s Parents Married?
Because of Japanese society at the time, Tamaki and Leonard were compelled to conceal their connection in its early phases.
Tamaki simply announced her relationship with Francois when the time came for her to marry.
Relations with her family did not improve, as expected, particularly with her father, who accused Osaka of degrading the family name.
Despite the controversy, the two continued together, secretly married, and moved to Osaka.
Soon after, the couple gave birth to two daughters, Mari and Naomi, who are only 18 months apart in age.
In retrospect, Leonards’s wife and Tamaki’s family were separated for more than 15 years.
When the two families returned to Japan in 2008, they were reunited.
According to the Japanese Family Registration Law, the sisters took their mother’s name (Koseki).
Before returning to the United States, the Osaka family lived in Japan for several years. Many people are unaware that Mari and Naomi did not start playing tennis as a hobby. Leonard Francois, their father, introduced them to tennis and taught them how to play.
The idea came to him on a random night in 1999, while he was watching the Williams sisters dominate the French Open.
Watching the deed inspired him to teach his daughters to be almost unbeatable, exactly like the Williams sisters.
However, he was unfamiliar with professional athletics. Leonard followed Richard Williams’ training program and template, who is also known as Serena and Venus Williams’ father.
Francois began tutoring his two young girls in the hopes of generating a tennis player on par with the Williams sisters.
Leonard’s family moved to Florida after teaching his girls the fundamentals to provide greater possibilities for his daughters.
Leonard Francois Educated His Daughters at Home
Leonard devoted his entire attention to his children with the explicit goal of grooming them into a Tennis power couple. Though his wife supported the family financially, Francois’s primary goal was to make them powerful and unnoticed.
As a result, rather than sending his daughters to a public high school in the United States, Leonard homeschooled them. He didn’t want anything to get in the way of their Tennis practice while also allowing them to keep their academic position.
According to Leonard, this is one of many notions from Richard Williams that he adopted into his training program.
Leonard Francois wished for his daughters to represent Japan.
Among other things, the Osaka sisters are frequently asked about their race. Furthermore, their decision to represent Japan in international games drew criticism.
Contrary to popular assumption, Tamaki and Leanord has been steadfast on this issue. They had hoped for their girls to play for Japan since they were little.
Naomi Osaka, Leonard Francois’s daughter, is the World’s No. 10 tennis player.
In a word, the girls are more aware of their Japanese lives than they are of their Western lives. They are surrounded by friends and family who love and support them.
Another element that led to this choice was the absence of support from the United States. Because Mari and Naomi were both amateurs, the Tennis Association of the United States did not sponsor them.
Naomi has also stated that she feels more Japanese than American.
“My father reasoned that because I grew up with my mother and have many Japanese relatives… I’m not certain… I don’t always consider myself an American. And I’m not sure how that feels.”
Not to mention that, under Japanese rule, Naomi Osaka relinquished her American citizenship as soon as she turned 22.
Social Media
Naomi Osaka’s father is not currently active on social media.
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 |