Mar 19th, 2019

Mar 19th, 2019

Another day, another coaching drama for Women’s world No.1 Naomi Osaka, with the Japan star now being sued by a former junior coach.

Just months after the Australian Open star parted ways with former mentor Sascha Bajin, a former coach from her early days has filed a lawsuit against her.

Christophe Jean coached Osaka and her sister Mari when the siblings were teenagers in 2011, and claims that he is entitled to a 20 percent cut of their prize money for an “indefinite” period in an agreement he said he had with her father Leonard Francois.

Jean is seeking at least US$2 million ($AUD2.8 million) in compensation after a report in the South Florida Sentinel highlighted the financial hardships Osaka and her sisters went through at the start of their tennis development, which resulted in heavy discounts being offered to her and her sister.

Osaka holding the Australian Open trophy. (AAP)

Jean said he did not want to take legal action against Osaka but felt compelled to based on what he alleges was the last conversation he held with Francois.

“I didn’t want to do this, but the last time I talked with Max (Leonard) he told me to go get a lawyer,” Jean told the Sun Sentinel.

“So I got a lawyer.”

Osaka has also engaged a lawyer, Alex Spiro, to take up her case. Spiro is no stranger to representing famous athletes having previously represented NBA stars Thabo Sefolosha and Matt Barnes, as well as now deceased former NFL star Aaron Hernandez.

Naomi Osaka with her father Leonard Francois on Brighton Beach. (AAP )

“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.”

Osaka split from coach Sascha Bajin in February not long after claiming the Australian Open and denied money was behind the move.

“Everyone thinks it was a money-related issue, but it wasn’t,” she said at the time.

“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.”