All About Naomi Osaka’s Parents, Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka
All About Naomi Osaka’s Parents, Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka
Jacklyn Krol, Samantha Stutsman, Nicole PomaricoTue, July 7, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC
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Leonard Francois, Tamaki Osaka and Naomi Osaka attend the Osaka Foundation Benefit on August 21, 2025 in New York City.Credit: Sean Zanni/Getty -
Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka met in Japan in the ‘90s
They share two daughters: Mari and Naomi
Leonard and Tamaki are often spotted cheering Naomi on at tennis matches
Naomi Osaka’s parents, Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka, have supported her tennis career since the beginning.
The couple first met in the ’90s when Leonard was visiting Japan as a college student and Tamaki was finishing high school. The pair began dating, but kept their relationship a secret from her family.
In her early 20s, Tamaki’s father began encouraging her to consider an arranged marriage, according to The New York Times. When she revealed her relationship with Leonard, her father disapproved, leading the couple to relocate to Osaka.
Leonard and Tamaki went on to welcome two daughters: Mari in 1996 and Naomi in 1997. When Naomi was 3, the family moved to the United States, where the sisters learned to play tennis. Leonard was inspired by Serena Williams and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams, to teach his daughters the sport.
Naomi quickly became one of the top tennis stars in the world, winning the US Open in 2018 and 2020 and the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. In July 2023, she welcomed her daughter, Shai.
Her parents were also there to cheer her on from the stands at Wimbledon 2026. After beating Aryna Sabalenka on July 5, she will continue to to the quarterfinals.
Here’s everything to know about Naomi Osaka’s parents, Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka.
Leonard and Tamaki grew up in different places
Naomi Osaka celebrating with her parents in 2019.Credit: SportsPressJP/AFLO/Alamy
Leonard was born in Haiti, while Tamaki grew up in Japan. The two cultures have been present in their everyday lives and have been integral in their daughters’ upbringings.
“Japanese culture? I kind of love everything about it ... and Haiti, if you’ve ever met a Haitian person, they are really positive, and literally if you’re friends with them, then they will do anything for you,” Naomi said in a 2018 interview. “That’s something that is a really good trait, and I’m really happy that my grandparents and my dad’s side of the family is like that.”
In July 2020, Osaka spoke about her identity again, writing in an essay for Esquire, “As long as I can remember, people have struggled to define me. I’ve never really fit into one description — but people are so fast to give me a label.”
“Is she Japanese? American? Haitian? Black? Asian?” she continued. “Well, I’m all of these things together at the same time.”
Leonard and Tamaki met in Japan
Naomi Osaka and Leonard Francois in 2019.Credit: Julian Finney/Getty
Osaka’s parents first met in Japan when Leonard was a college student and Tamaki was finishing high school. They kept their relationship a secret for years until Tamaki’s father attempted to arrange a marriage for her.
According to The New York Times, Tamaki’s father was upset when he learned of Leonard. Tamaki and Leonard then moved to Osaka together, where their daughters Mari and Naomi were born in 1996 and 1997, respectively.
Leonard was inspired by Richard Williams
Leonard Francois and Naomi Osaka in 2019.Credit: Yoshio Tsunoda/AFLO/Alamy
While Leonard did not have any background or experience in tennis, he was inspired by the Williams sisters’ father, Richard.
After watching the Williams sisters compete in 1999, Leonard started studying and carefully watching videos to coach Naomi and Mari. He even moved the family to Florida in 2006 in order for them to have more opportunities to train.
“The blueprint was already there. I just had to follow it,” he told The New York Times. He also taught the girls how to play the sport on clay courts, just like Richard did with his daughters.
“I don’t know if there’s any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid watching her play,” Naomi said after playing Serena at the Australian Open in 2021, per ESPN. “And just to be on the court playing against her, for me, is a dream.”
They always supported Naomi in her passion
Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka in 2021.Credit: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy
Naomi has spoken highly of her parents and their support of her mentally, financially and athletically.
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“Growing up I dreamed about winning Grand Slams and becoming number one in the world,” she explained to PEOPLE in May 2021. “While it was not easy, my family was dedicated to helping me get the access I needed to reach my goals. But unfortunately, not all girls have the same opportunities that I did.”
Naomi shared that she witnessed her mother work “incredibly hard to support me and my passion for play.”
The tennis pro concluded, “She always put others first and encouraged me to embrace my diversity. Every role model I’ve had has inspired me to dream big. To level up in every way.”
Although Naomi has noted that she is very fortunate, she has praised her parents for the extra work that they took on to provide her with such opportunities.
“I came from a mom that worked for basically my entire childhood to put me through tennis. My dad, who was with me the entire time. And I knew that they had a really hard time,” she told CBS News in May 2022. “Tennis is an expensive sport. So, just to put two kids through that and just, I guess, believe in them so much is something that — I always call my parents a bit crazy.”
Naomi’s parents helped her decide to represent Japan in the Olympics
Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka with Naomi Osaka in 2019.Credit: Yoshio Tsunoda/AFLO/Alamy
Naomi gave up her United States citizenship in October 2019 in order to represent Japan in the 2021 Summer Olympics. She has previously shared how much she is involved in her home country of Japan’s culture.
“We made the decision that Naomi would represent Japan at an early age,” Tamaki said in her daughter’s Netflix docuseries, Naomi Osaka, per Newsweek. “She was born in Osaka and was brought up in a household of Japanese and Haitian culture. Quite simply, Naomi and her sister, Mari, have always felt Japanese, so that was our only rationale. It was never a financially motivated decision nor were we ever swayed either way by any national federation.”
Naomi said in the documentary that she has “been playing under the Japan flag” since she was 14 and that it was “never even a secret” that she would play for them. However, she noted that she received some backlash for not playing for the United States.
“I don’t choose America and suddenly people are like, ‘Your Black card is revoked.’ And it’s like, African American isn’t the only Black, you know?” she shared.
Her father filled in as Naomi’s coach professionally
Leonard Francois and Naomi Osaka in 2022.Credit: Robert Prange/Getty
In 2019, Naomi parted ways with coach Jermaine Jenkins, and her father stepped up in the interim to coach her.
“He’s annoyed me so much that it just makes me angry, and I use the anger as fuel to win,” Naomi once said of Leonard, laughing during an October 2019 press conference.
She went on to describe her father’s coaching style as “simple” and called him “not a very dominating presence.”
When a reporter asked if Naomi planned to keep Leonard as her coach, the tennis pro responded, “No, deuces. It was good while it lasted.”
They chose to give their daughters Tamaki’s last name
Tamaki Osaka and Naomi Osaka in 2018.Credit: Aflo Co. Ltd. / Alamy
“Osaka” is Tamaki’s maiden name, which is also the name of the city that Naomi was born in. It was the family’s decision for both Naomi and Mari to keep their mother’s last name.
The New York Times reported that the decision was made because “it was mostly a practical matter when they lived in Japan, helpful for enrolling in schools and renting apartments.” The outlet also reported that the family would speak Japanese while they were at home, eat traditional Japanese food and partake in cultural celebrations.
Leonard and Tamaki are grandparents
Naomi Osaka with her daughter, Shai.Credit: TUBI
Leonard and Tamaki became grandparents in July 2023 when Naomi welcomed her first child, daughter Shai, with her then-boyfriend, rapper Cordae.
“Having a family was my biggest dream. I always wanted to be a mom,” the tennis star said in her documentary Naomi Osaka: The Second Set. “Some people say [Shai] ended my career, but for me, it feels like she started my career.”
Tamaki doesn’t doubt that Naomi can thrive as both a mom and a superstar on the court. “Just got to keep on working, keep on going. Do it,” she told her daughter in the documentary.
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
