Former Haitian tennis player Leonard Francois who has found his children’s potential at a young age and has made them international celebrities was also a tennis player. His daughter, Naomi Osaka, went so far as to win the 2018 U.S. Open in the finale to overcome her idol, Serena Williams.
| Full Real Name | Leonard Maxime Francois |
| Profession | Tennis Coach |
| Age | approx. 40 |
| Year Of Birth | 0 |
| Nationality | Haitian |
| Ethnicity | African |
| Religion | N/A |
Tennis coach, Leonard Francois is the father of professional tennis star Naomi Osaka. Since teaching his two children to play tennis, Leonard has been the driving force behind Naomi’s success.
Leonard Francois recognized the talent in his two daughters, Mari and Naomi, and began training them as soon as possible.
So how much do you know about Leonard Francois? If not more, then we are here for you as we gather his age, height, weight, husband, children profile the particulars of his life along with the Net Worth collected in 2023. Have a look below:
Leonard Francois Early Life:
| Father | N/A |
| Mother | N/A |
| Brothers | Unknown |
| Sisters | Unknown |
Who doesn’t know Naomi Osaka? Serena Williams (Daughter of Richard Williams) was defeated and retained the U.S. Open title in 2018 and 2020 by a young Japanese teen. Osaka not only stirred the Tennis community with her victory but the media as well.
Her father, Leonard Francois, was one of the people responsible for her win, and we will discuss it later on. Leonard was born in the tiny town of Jacmel, Haiti. The young Franciscans traveled to New York City, USA, to study by nationality and African ethnicity.
Similarly, his parents’ and siblings’ identities and whereabouts are currently still undisclosed.
Leonard Francois Education:
| Highest Qualification | N/A |
| University | N/A |
| College | N/A |
| High School | N/A |
Unfortunately, the college or something that sheds light on his early life is not known.
Leonard Francois Sign:
| Sun Sign | N/A |
| Star Sign | N/A |
| Birth Sign Duality | N/A |
| Birth Sign Modality | N/A |
The Zodiac sign of Francois is a matter of confusion to us, too, due to his lack of actual birth date.
Leonard Francois Age, Height and Weight:
| Weight In Kg | Unknown |
| Height In Feet | 6 Feet |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Not only did Leonard keep things confidential about his early childhood, but he also has something that the media may not know about his birth. More probably, Naomi’s father was born in the 1980s, now perhaps in his 40s.
Moreover, Leonard’s eye is dark brown, and his hair is short black. His height is around 6 feet though he has undisclosed weight and other dimensions.
Leonard Francois Personal Life:
| Spouse Name | Tamaki Osaka |
| Daughters | Naomi Osaka, Mari Osaka |
| No Of Children | 2 |
| Marital Status | married |
Leonard Francois had no easy life, especially regarding his marriage to the love of his life, Tamaki Osaka. In the first wave of immigrants, Japan made their country in the early 1990s. Fortunately, Leonard, a university student in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, the northernmost region of Japan, has encountered his wife, Tamaki. In contrast, Tamaki grew up in a patriarchal society that did not promote a biracial relationship.
Japan was strictly concerned with ethnic purity, and most of the children were educated with these philosophies. But fortunately, Tamaki accepted the approach of Leonard rather than other ladies. Although after facing so many challenges, they married and lived happily ever after and had two girls, Mari and Naomi.
Are Naomi Osaka’s parents still together?
Tamaki and Leonard had to hide their love in its early stages due to Japanese culture at the time.
We can only imagine the circumstances back then, given how racism towards people of color is still widespread in most regions of the country.
When the time came for Tamaki to marry, she simply revealed her relationship with Francois. As imagined, Osaka’s family was not pleased, particularly her father, who accused her of tarnishing their family reputation.
Despite the upheaval, the two remained together, married in secret, and relocated to Osaka. Mari and Naomi, who are barely 18 months apart, were born shortly after.
Leonards’ wife, Tamaki’s family, was isolated for more than 15 years, according to the evidence. When they returned to Japan in 2008, the two families were reunited.
The sisters took on their mother’s name due to the Japanese Family Registration Law (Koseki). Before returning to the United States, the Osaka family spent a few years in Japan.
Leonard Francois leaving his comfort zone:
In 2001, as an athlete and a Japanese Tennis Player Naomi, his child was three years old, When he moved his family back to the United States. Shortly after that, he was starting to implement his dream of daughters into world stars. In 2006, Leonard Francois moved to Florida again, where his schooling continued. After five years in New York, he sent his children to Pembroke Pines Public Courts to continue teaching his girls the right way to play and strike the ball.
Naomi, who won WTA championships and even a grand slam, mainly gave one of the women who moved her dad and her sibling on the way.
Leonard Francois Profession:
Naomi’s father is a tennis coach who has been very young and who has started teaching his daughters, Mari and Naomi. His profession has always been supportive.
People do not understand that, but Tennis has not started as a hobby by Mari and Naomi. Leonard Francois, her father, brought them to Tennis and even showed them how to play it. It’s amusing if you think Francois wasn’t a player or coach before.
Indeed, in 1999, when he saw the Williams sisters dominate the French Open, the Winning concept developed in him alone. He didn’t know much about organized athletics, though. Thus, he went to a spot that he knew best: the sisters of Williams.
By his design and training scheme, Richard Williams (King Richard is based on his life story) accompanied Leonard, regarded as Serena’s dad, and Venus Williams. Francois started coaching his two young daughters to make another tennis sensation like the Williams sisters. In the same way, in 2001, the entire family moved to New York.
Leonard’s family returned to Florida again after showing them the basics so that his daughters could have more chances. Fortunately, his plan and commitment paid off by the end of the day.
Leonard Francois Trained His Daughters:
As many people believe, Mari and Naomi did not begin playing tennis as a hobby. Leonard Francois, their father, was the one who introduced them to tennis and even trained them how to play.
It’s rather amusing when you consider that Francois had never played tennis or coached before. In fact, he got the notion after watching the Williams sisters dominate the French Open on a random night in 1999.
After seeing the show, he was inspired to train his girls to be nearly undefeated like the Williams sisters.
He had no knowledge of competitive sports, however. As a result, he turned to the most familiar place he was: the Williams sisters.
Leonard followed Richard Williams’ blueprint and training regimen, also known as Serena and Venus Williams’ father.
In 2001, his entire family relocated to New York, and his plan began to take shape.
Leonard’s family relocated to Florida again after teaching his daughters the fundamentals. And, thankfully, his strategy and perseverance were rewarded in the end.
Leonard spent his entire time with his daughters with the sole goal of turning them into a Tennis power couple. While his wife provided financial support for the family, Francois’ primary focus was on making them potent.
Leonard homeschooled his daughters instead of sending them to an American high school as a result of this. He didn’t want anything to get in the way of their Tennis practice while also allowing them to keep up with their academics.
In 2019, Naomi’s father temporarily served as her coach, although Naomi was irritated by his instructions.
Nonetheless, she values her father’s ability to give her space while also offering a reliable support system. “I also feel like I need a little structure because if I do my own thing for too long, I don’t know, I feel like I need someone’s supervision or advise, you know?” Naomi expressed her thoughts.
Leonard, Naomi admitted, can’t stand watching her perform and only watches snippets of it on TV. “Generally, everyone understands he just walks around and peeks at the TV display,” Naomi explained.
Leonard Francois desired his daughters serve as representator for Japan
The Osaka sisters are frequently questioned about their ethnicity, among other things. Their decision to represent Japan in international games was also a source of controversy.
Tamaki and Leanord, however, have been certain about this subject, contrary to popular belief. Since their childhood, they’ve wished for their girls to play for Japan.
In a generic context, the girls are more connected to their Japanese culture than they are to their Western culture. They have friends and family who love and support them.
The absence of support from the United States was also a factor in this choice. The Tennis Association of the United States declined to help Mari and Naomi since they were still amateurs.
Naomi claims that his father is overly concerned about her matches. She stated,
“I think he’ll go for long walks because my matches are stressing him out.” Naomi added to this by saying,
“When I was growing up, my mother was always working, and she worked a lot because my father was always with us.” He was the one who coached us.”
Leonard Francois Net Worth:
| Net Worth | Under Review |
| Source Of Income | Tennis Coach |
Leonard, Naomi Osaka’s father of the former World Champion, didn’t divulge his revenue. Francois has been coaching since her youth and has, until recently, partnered with her.
Naomi didn’t say that his father was too worried about her matches. She said, “He may take long walks, I believe, because maybe my matches stress him. My mother worked a lot when I grew up, and my dad had already been with us. He was the mentor to us.”
Moreover, Naomi Osaka’s net worth is estimated to be $25 million in 2020. Naomi Osaka, 22, is now the highest-paid female athlete in 2020, with her net worth increasing to $25 million from $8 million in 2019.
Leonard Francois Dreams:
The Osaka sisters bombarded most of them with concerns about their race and many other items. In addition, their decision to represent Japan in international games was another question that lifted the eyebrows.
Yet Tamaki and Leanord were certain of this, unlike what people say. From their youth, they have wanted their children to play for Japan.
The girls are closer to their life in Japan than their life in the West. They have friends there, families who love and support them. The lack of cooperation from the United States was a different element that strengthened this decision.
The U.S. Tennis Association declined to help them at all since Mari and Naomi were both amateurs. In addition, Naomi said that she felt more Japanese than American. “My father thought I had a lot of Japanese relatives because I grew up with my parents. I don’t know why… I don’t sound like I’m American. And that’s what I wouldn’t know.”
According to Japanese law, Naomi Osaka gave up her American citizenship right when she was 22 years old.
Leonard Francois Face Racism:
Leonard’s wife, Tamaki only exposed her relationship with Francois when Tamaki’s wedding time arrived. As predicted, her family, especially her father, who accused Osaka of tarnishing her family reputation, wasn’t doing well.
Despite the turmoil, the two stuck, secretly married, and then moved to Osaka. Soon after, Mari and Naomi were born, both of whom were just 18 months apart. In retrospect, for more than 15 years, Leonard’s wife, Tamaki’s family, alienated her. The two families did not come back to Japan until 2008.
The sisters took their mother’s name because of the Japanese Law of Family Registration (Koseki). A few years before returning to Japan, the Osaka family remained in Japan.
Leonard Francois Social Appearance:
Leonard Osaka, the star player’s father, isn’t currently on social media. But his daughter Naomi is available on Social Media Platforms. She has 2.8 million followers on her Instagram @naomiosaka and 1.1 million on her Twitter @naomiosaka.
Summary!
Leonard Francois is a hero who was in Japan and fell in love with a Japanese woman against all the obstacles, beyond all chances.
Since Leonard likes to focus on his children, so little detail is available on his life, with the only known information about him from Japan, after moving to the Asian nation in New York, where he has spent a part of his youth. And this is all that we have compiled for you.
