‘There’s a Lot of Pressure’- Biographer Reveals How Naomi Osaka’s Father’s Tough Decision Made Life Difficult for Her Mother

Published 01/06/2024, 5:42 AM EST

Naomi Osaka has undoubtedly established herself as a household figure in the tennis realm. While being the former world No. 1 on the women’s tour, the Japanese tennis superstar has clinched four singles Grand Slam titles. However, the WTA player’s road to the pinnacle of the game wasn’t without difficulties.

Osaka faced a number of challenges during her younger days, when her mother was the only one working in the family. Reminiscing about her adverse phase, a renowned tennis journalist recently opened up about how the 4-time singles Grand Slam champion’s father’s unemployment added more ‘pressure’ on their family.

The renowned journalist talks about Naomi Osaka’s mother’s struggles for her family

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The Japanese tennis star’s mother, Tamaki, played a pivotal role in her daughter’s competitive journey. As she was the only one working in the family, Osaka’s mother had to take up multiple jobs to help her daughter follow her passion for the game. There were even days when Tamaki slept in cars just to support both of her children.

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Notably, Ben Rothenberg, who is the author of the revealing biography of Osaka, recently hailed Tamaki as a ‘real driving force’ in her daughter’s journey. In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, the renowned journalist said, “Yeah, Tamaki, her mother is a huge part of Naomi’s story for sure, a real driving force in Naomi’s life. That’s something I really gained more appreciation for as I was writing the book is just how much Naomi was motivated.”

While her mother had to take up multiple jobs, Osaka’s father, Leonard Francois, trained his daughter on the court. As Francois was not employed, Rothenberg asserted that there was a “lot of pressure.” He stated, “She said this several times, so sort of putting them all together in a line really makes it more clear because she said it once a year or so for a while. Basically, being motivated by her mother and seeing her mother’s sacrifices and struggles that she had during her childhood when her mother was the only one working, when her father was not employed, which is sort of working with his daughters on court, there’s a lot of pressure.”

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What do you think of Tamaki Osaka’s pivotal role in her tennis star daughter’s competitive journey on the tour? Let us know in the comment section.

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Like millions of fans around the world, my foray into the world of tennis began after witnessing the incredible domination of the ?King of Clay? over the past decade. It was my passion for tennis that initially drew me to the dynamic field of sports journalism. My professional journey in sports journalism with EssentiallySports has seen me cover over 1000 articles, focusing on almost every ATP and WTA tournament, including Grand Slams.

‘There’s a Lot of Pressure’- Biographer Reveals How Naomi Osaka’s Father’s Tough Decision Made Life Difficult for Her Mother

The renowned journalist talks about Naomi Osaka’s mother’s struggles for her family

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