A former coach of Naomi Osaka and her sister Mari claims that he has a contract that entitles him to 20 percent of Osaka’s earnings from prize money and endorsements for an “indefinite” period, and he’s hired a lawyer to pursue the matter.
In 2012 Christophe Jean reportedly entered into contract with Naomi Osaka’s father, Leonard Francois (known to many as Max), for an "indefinite amount" and he says he has hired a lawyer based on his last conversation with the father of the tennis stars.
“I didn’t want to do this, but the last time I talked with Max he told me to go get a lawyer,” Jean told the Sun Sentinel. “So I got a lawyer.”
Osaka has also hired a lawyer, New York-based Alex Spiro.
“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, imaginary contract that Naomi never saw or signed—which purports to give away part of herself at the age of 14—is particularly absurd,” Spiro wrote in a statement. “This case has no merit and we will move past it.”
Last week the South Florida Sun Sentinel published a report that sheds light on the life that the Osaka’s led as they pursued tennis careers under the supervision of their father and several coaches.
“None of the half-dozen coaches who trained and helped develop the Osaka sisters in South Florida were paid for their work,” wrote Dave Hyde. “The family, they all knew, had no money. The mother worked an office job simply to house them and pay the bills.”
Hyde interviewed several coaches that worked with the sisters, including former Roland Garros finalist Harold Solomon.
But it is only Jean who seeks financial compensation—reportedly he is looking for somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 million to settle.