How Naomi Osaka’s father shaped her tennis career

• Wim Fissette coached Osaka from 2020 and she won the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open Grand Slams
• Osaka’s father Leonard François first coached her when she was a little girl
• She identifies more with her Japanese roots despite growing up in the US

Naomi Osaka coach history came into scrutiny a few days ago after news of calling it quits with her coach Wim Fissette.

The 25-year-old started working with Fissette in 2020 as the season started.  He is the man behind Osaka’s presence in the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open Grand Slams.

Although it remains unknown why the two split up, Fissette thanked the Japanese star for the time they worked together.

“It has been a privilege to coach Naomi since 2019 and see her grow into the Champion she has become,” Fissette’s posted on Instagram.

He said Osaka ‘inspired a whole new generation to fall in love with the game & to speak up for what they believe in.’

He also coached Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep, and Angelique Kerber in the past. Like Osaka, all four of those women ranked No. 1 at one point in the WTA rankings and have won multiple major titles.

With their split, the Japanese star is scouting for a new coach. Here is everything you should know about Naomi Osaka coach history.

Naomi Osaka. Photo/Eurosport

WHO TAUGHT NAOMI OSAKA TENNIS?

Leonard François, Osaka’s father was her first coach. Osaka and her family emigrated from Japan to Elmont, Long Island, to be closer to her father’s relatives when she was three years old.

After seeing the Williams sisters compete at the 1999 French Open, her father decided to teach his two daughters how to play tennis.  He aspired to be like Richard Williams, who had never played tennis before but trained his daughters to become the greatest tennis players of their era.

Francois observed that Williams gave him a plan of action, and he had all the zeal to follow it through for Osaka and Mari. He decided to relocate to the US to give Osaka a better chance to play tennis professionally.

Once they arrived in America, he started mentoring his daughters. In 2006, when she was nine years old, her family relocated to Florida in search of increased educational options. She was homeschooled during the day and practised on public courts in Pembroke Pines.

She started working with Patrick Tauma at the ISP Academy when she was only 15 years old. Naomi Osaka coach history elevated when she enrolled at the Harold Solomon Tennis Academy in 2014. Later, she attended the ProWorld Tennis Academy to hone her skills.

WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND NAOMI OSAKA?

Osaka was born in Osaka, Japan, but her Japanese parents always intended for her to compete in her native home. They decided that she would represent Japan at a young age. Both Japanese and Haitian traditions raised her since her parents are of mixed ancestry.

Neither money nor pressure from any government changed their decision for Osaka to play for the US. Moreover, she did not get enough support from USTA as a young player, which informed her parents’ decision to play for Japan.

Osaka never played on the ITF Junior Circuit, the elite international junior tour, and in a few junior tournaments overall. She played her first qualifying match on the ITF Women’s Circuit on her 14th birthday.

She made her professional doubles debut with her sister Mari. In July, on her sixth try, she qualified for her maiden singles the main draw. Her greatest 2012 finish was a semi-final loss to her sister at a $10K event in Amelia Island.

Much as Naomi Osaka tennis history is blurry, she never won an ITF title, finishing second four times. Her first two $25K finals were in 2013 in El Paso, Texas. In March 2014, she defeated her sister in Irapuato, Mexico.

Naomi Osaka. Photo/AFP  /NATASHA MORELLO / TENNIS AUSTRALIA

WHY DOES OSAKA REPRESENT JAPAN?

The fact that Osaka holds Japanese citizenship is the straightforward explanation for why Japan chose her to represent the nation at the Olympics. Osaka, whose mother is from the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido and whose father is from the Haitian city of Jacmel, was born in the Osaka neighbourhood of Ch-ku.

Besides, her parents always wanted her to represent her mother country just to give her a sense of her roots. She also loves Japan, although she grew up in the US most of her life.