WATCH: “You’re a tennis player, play tennis. I know that Dad” Naomi Osaka welcomes her father as head coach with a funny story


WATCH: “You’re a tennis player, play tennis. I know that Dad” Naomi Osaka welcomes her father as head coach with a funny story

Naomi Osaka with her father

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese tennis player who came to the limelight after winning the 2018 US Open and following up with another win at the Australian Open in 2019. She won the US Open for the second time in 2020 and also followed it by winning the Australian Open in 2021. Osaka has been lauded for her game since the time she turned pro. She had also won the Indian Wells title in her exceptional 2018 season.

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The Japanese is currently playing in the 2022 Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose where she has advanced to the round of 16 after defeating Qinwen Zheng of China by 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in her first-round match. Naomi won in the first set followed by Zheng’s comeback in the second set but the Chinese couldn’t hold on to continuous aces from the Japanese and lost the third set to the hardcourt specialist.

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Naomi Osaka: it’s really good for him to be back because he always makes me smile

Naomi Osaka and her father

After her win against Zheng, the current word No. 41 recited a funny short story for her father who has reunited with the former World No. 1 as her coach after her split with Wim Fissette, along with story also expressed her happiness to see him back in the stands and how it makes her smile.

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“So another short story. My dad, he’s right there. He’s the guy with the sunglasses even though it’s dark outside. I don’t know. He hasn’t been around for a little minute. So, this is our first tournament back together, and it’s really good for him to be back because he always makes me smile, and I don’t know why he was telling me, like, yeah, you’re a tennis player. Play tennis. I know that, you know what I mean? But, yeah, it’s just really good to be back, so I’m just really happy,” said Osaka.

Leonard Francois, previously served as her primary coach until the 2018 season. He was a “recreational player” with “no knowledge about technique,” in the early stages but taught Osaka how to play tennis by taking her and her sister to public courts near their home. He studied what Serena Williams father, Richard Williams, had done in coaching his daughters and followed that approach. Osaka has credited her father as “the guy that keeps me calm,” in an interview with GQ.

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