The spectacular jellyfish outfit at the Australian Open. A sparkly Eiffel Tower-inspired golden dress at the French Open. The elegant all-white Japanese kimono at Wimbledon.
The spectacular jellyfish outfit at the Australian Open. A sparkly Eiffel Tower-inspired golden dress at the French Open. The elegant all-white Japanese kimono at Wimbledon.
Naomi Osaka has proved she knows how to make a grand entrance at the Grand Slams – and her arrival at this year’s US Open was always going to turn more heads.
The four-time major champion was draped in a hooded white gown – with cuttings of newspaper headlines about her career highlights sewn in – when she walked out for her first-round match against Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova in New York.
Underneath was an all-black basketball-style kit in which Osaka played as she fought her way to a 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3) win over world number 101 Zakharova.
Afterwards Osaka said the on-court look was inspired by NBA legend Allen Iverson, who is widely credited for introducing a sharper focus on fashion in his sport during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“He’s a trailblazer. I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not,” said Osaka.
“He’s shifted the way that NBA players dress. I also think the whole conversation around clothes in sports and just expressing yourself through style.
“I feel like he’s someone that I look up to in that regard.”
Osaka walked on to Arthur Ashe Stadium wearing a hooded tunic and a billowing white tulle train
Osaka’s performance on the court in Monday’s night session was less stylish, however.
The Japanese 13th seed, who won the Flushing Meadows title in 2018 and 2020, faltered after a strong start and ultimately needed to dig deep to see off Zakharova.
Osaka broke at the first opportunity to take a 2-0 lead in the opener and although she was unable to convert another chance to go 4-0 ahead, still looked comfortable when she moved 5-2 up.
However, Zakharova showed heart as she rallied to take the opener into a tie-break and fought back from another early break down in the second.
Osaka’s superb serve came to the fore as she opened up a commanding 5-1 lead in the second tie-break, going on to complete victory just before 00:30 local time and avoiding the need for a deciding set.
The former world number one will face the Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova in the second round – and promised her fans there will be another sartorial surprise.
“I wanted to play well because I wanted to show you guys some more outfits,” she said.
“I love expressing myself through clothes – because I don’t like talking too much.”
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