Naomi Osaka Turns Tennis Courts Into High Fashion Runways

In Australia, she wore a jellyfish-inspired outfit with a gigantic hat, a parasol, and a full-length veil. In Paris, she wore a sequinned gold dress that sparkled like the Eiffel Tower, underneath a black embroidered corset and a cascading maxi skirt. In London, she donned a long kimono inspired by the movie Kill Bill and her Japanese heritage. With the US Open in full swing this week in New York, it was time for Naomi Osaka’s latest fashion moment, and she did not disappoint. The former world No 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion paid tribute to Allen Iverson by wearing an outfit inspired by the NBA legend.

Before the tournament started, Osaka wore a shirt with a photo of Iverson on it, which prompted reporters to ask her what the former Sixers guard meant to her. “For me, he's a trailblazer. 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, but he's shifted the way that NBA players dress,” Osaka replied. “I also think the whole conversation around clothes in sports and also just expressing yourself through style, I feel like he's someone that I look up to in that regard.”

Osaka has been using her passion for fashion as a form of self-expression. The 28-year-old is outspoken when it comes to topics that matter to her, but is generally reserved and quiet off the court. The two ways in which she is at her loudest is when she’s pummeling a tennis ball or putting together a carefully curated outfit. One of the loudest statements she ever made came in the form of seven masks she wore during the 2020 US Open, each carrying the name of a black victim of racial violence. She had the seven masks with her before the event even began and drew motivation from her mission to display a different name with every match she won. She went on to win seven matches that tournament to clinch the title and shed light on racial injustice in America.

Osaka’s recent fashion choices are not necessarily about making a statement, but they’re telling a story nonetheless – one she spends months and months putting together with standout designers from the fashion industry, along with the crew at sponsor Nike. She shares her own sketches and often collaborates with Asian designers – like Robert Wun, Yoon Ahn, Hana Yagi – to bring her vision to life. Her latest project, showcased at this year’s US Open, was designed by NYC label Who Decides War and commissioned by fashion stylist Law Roach. The nod to Iverson merges tennis, basketball and streetwear and pays tribute to his influence on the sports fashion industry.

Her elaborate walk-on curations are tennis’ answer to the now-famous NBA and WNBA tunnel looks, and she quickly discards the items of clothing to dress down into her match kit by the time the first ball is hit. Osaka’s dramatic entrance for her opening round in New York this week has been one of the most-watched clips of the tournament on social media. “I just get really nervous during the first round of this tournament because I want to do well and I want to show you guys some more outfits,” she told the Arthur Ashe Stadium night-session crowd after her close victory over Anastasia Zakharova.

As with many things Osaka does, her fashion choices are divisive. Some admire the theatrical element to her arrival, while others have not been as flattering. Laura Siegemund, who lost to Osaka at this year’s French Open, told Eurosport Germany after the defeat: “I came here to play tennis, not to put on a fashion show.” However, veteran tennis writer Courtney Nguyen believes Osaka’s daring creations bring a much-needed lane of relevance and whimsy to the sport.

Tennis and fashion have regularly intertwined for over 100 years, with historic pioneers like Suzanne Lenglen, Gussie Moran, Lea Pericoli, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, and Serena Williams all making bold statements through their attire. While Osaka faces criticism similar to past legends like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, she continues to embrace storytelling and creativity through fashion to create joy and connect with fans.