World No 1 Naomi Osaka is at the centre of a coaching controversy once again with her former junior coach Christopher Jean suing her for non-payment of dues in a lawsuit filed in the United States.
In a detailed report, the Sun Sentinel has spoken to various coaches who trained the young Japanese-Haitian player in South Florida, with little or no remuneration. Naomi and her sister Mari came from a family of limited means but the two-time Grand Slam champion’s natural talent prompted many coaches to take them on for no money, according to the report.
The coaches say they knew the family had no money and the mother worked an office job simply to house them and pay the bills.
However, Jean has decided to sue on the basis of a contract he claims he had with Osaka’s father Leonard Francois, also known as Max when Naomi was 13. He says that the contract entitles him to 20% of Naomi and Mari’s prize money and endorsement deals for an ‘indefinite’ period, according to TMZ, adding to what what in the Sun Sentinel report.
With her rise to the top of the world rankings, she has over $10 million in prize money and Jean is seeking at least US $2 million in compensation.
Jean says that the sisters’ father couldn’t afford to pay him at the time and that’s why they formed the said. “I didn’t want to do this, but the last time I talked with Max [Francois] he told me to go get a lawyer,” Jean told the Sun Sentinel. “So I got a lawyer.”
Francois has often said he was inspired by Richard Williams, who brought his daughters from humble beginnings to the top of the tennis world as well.
On her part, Osaka has not spoken publicly about this but has also hired a lawyer. Alex Spiro has previously defended NBA stars Thabo Sefolosha and Matt Barnes, as well as now deceased former NFL star Aaron Hernandez, getting him acquitted of a double homicide in Boston, according to News.com.au.
“While it comes as no surprise that Naomi’s meteoric rise as an international icon and inspiration would lead to some false claim, this silly ‘contract’ that Naomi never saw or signed – which purports to give away part of herself at the age of 14 – is particularly absurd,” Spiro said in a statement. “This case has no merit and we will move past it.”
The Sentinel has spoken to other coaches as well with a Bill Adams and Harold Solomon saying they were okay with the arrangement with the Osakas while Patrick Tauma said he felt “manipulated” by the father over the way it ended.
This new controversy comes close on the heels of another when Osaka parted company with former coach Sascha Bajin in February in a shock split. The duo had won her two Grand Slams together and she said that the move was not money-related. Bajin was a former hitting partner of Serena Williams.
“Everyone thinks it was a money-related issue, but it wasn’t. I wouldn’t put success over my happiness. I’m not going to sacrifice that just to keep a person around. That’s one of the most hurtful things I’ve ever heard,” she had said then.
Osaka has since teamed up with Jermaine Jenkins, who sued to hit with Venus Williams. The top seed is set to open her Miami Open campaign against a qualifier after losing in the fourth round of Indian Wells to Belinda Bencic last week.
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