Naomi Osaka is known for serving jaw-dropping Grand Slam looks – but she took it to another level with a jellyfish-inspired outfit, which made waves on day three of the Australian Open.
The four-time Grand Slam champion made a statement entrance on Rod Laver Arena – before her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic – with an outfit she dedicated to her daughter Shai.
“It is the most spectacular and breathtaking entrance to a Grand Slam first round that I have ever seen,” tennis correspondent Russell Fuller said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Australian Open Daily podcast.
The Japanese 16th seed, a two-time Australian Open champion, held off Croatia’s Ruzic in a deciding set to win 6-3 3-6 6-4 and progress to the second round.
Osaka walked on to the court wearing an ocean blue tie-dye tracksuit jacket with white wide-leg bottoms – both adorned with ruffles.
The 28-year-old revealed her outfit was originally inspired by a jellyfish, which she saw in a book while reading to her two-year-old daughter.
“Nike let me design this one,” she said. “I’m so grateful I get to be able to do the things that I love. It’s really beautiful.”
Osaka’s ideas were brought to life by London-based stylist Robert Wun, who has previously dressed global music artists Beyonce, Cardi B and Ariana Grande.
The eye-catching look also featured two white butterflies – one on her wide-brimmed hat and one on her umbrella – a reference to when one landed on her face mid-match during her run to the Australian Open title in 2021.
She paused play when the creature landed on her left leg during her third-round match, gently removed it and placed it on the side of the court – before it flew up into the air again and landed on her nose.
Osaka followed her entrance with a dramatic first-round performance against Croatian world number 65 Ruzic, who was celebrating her 23rd birthday.
The former world number one did not make it easy for herself but managed to survive a potential banana skin, having gone 3-4 down in the deciding set.
She broke back straight away for 4-4 and then charged through back-to-back games to take victory.
“You feel like even if she had lost she would’ve owned it [the outfit],” former world number six Chanda Rubin said. “But it felt like the statement wouldn’t have been complete had she not won.
“At the end of the day, her tennis did the most talking.”
Osaka will face Sorana Cirstea in the second round at Melbourne Park. The unseeded Romanian needed three sets to progress through her first-round match, claiming a 3-6 6-4 6-3 win over Germany’s Eva Lys.
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