Naomi Osaka is taking fashion determinedly at the US Open, all frills and bows

Naomi Osaka chucked out pristine white at the US Open. Photo: Getty Images

We know Naomi Osaka is totally serious about fashion, just like her idol Serena Williams. And to prove that she does not trifle with the formidable, certainly not on the courts, Ms Osaka appeared at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York for the US Open in an outfit planned to catch—grab!—the eye. The former world number one has not been scoring big in the game lately, missing out last year’s US Open to give birth to her daughter, and, returning to the WTA in January this year, has not stormed her way beyond the quarter-finals of any competition. This time, while it is yet to be seen if she will win, she intends to make a mark on the hardcourt, at least sartorially. And she has the frills and bows to prove she can.

Ms Osaka had earlier announced on Threads: “My US Open outfit is about the be the best outfit I’ve ever worn and I’m so excited ☺️.” And she meant it. For her first appearance, she wore a cropped white jacket with a massive fluorescent green bow behind that was longer than her skirt, which was a four tier mini, also fasted with a bow—white—in the back, under the larger mother (a top skirt with tulle ruffles was removed for her to play). She warmed up in this get-up, the tails of the bows fluttering. The effect, as she told the US media, is “very mindful, very cutesy”. When she finally played, the jacket came off to reveal a matching bright green top, a sum to better attract the attention of Anna Wintour sitting with Vera Wang in the audience? And that ensemble is only for day competition. For the night, there’s another set.

Her Nike Challenger sneakers are decorated with bows too. Photo: Getty Images

The all-girl-girl look is the work of Yoon Ahn of Ambush fame, conceived in collaboration with Nike. We don’t remember Ms Yoon’s aesthetic to be of such frilly bent, but, for her client, she need not follow her own path. This was tenniscore meets balletcore, with a sort of lolita sportif thrown in for good measure. Apart from the pronounced frills, bows are a big (literal, as well) feature. When Ms Osaka strolled into the stadium, the Beats headphones she had own was also beribboned on both sides. It was as if she was mimicking Princess Leia’s ears-obscuring “space buns”, but personalised with bows. Even her footwear was not left untouched. Her Nike Challenger, in colours to match her outfit, is fastened with bows just where the Swoosh ends, below the heel tab. She is really going all out, totally in touch with her girlish, Harajuku self.

More and more female tennis pros are ignoring what they believe are the game’s outdated competition dress codes. Since this isn’t Wimbledon, where the tradition of wearing all white has been in the requirement since the 1800s, Ms Oscar could go brighter than white. There have been rule breakers no doubt, such as Serena Williams who amused the world when she wore a black catsuit (no, not under a skirt!) at the 2018 French Open. She has since worn variations of the one-piece at other games. As athletes express their fashionable selves and as the Olympics welcome fashion in a major way, it is not hard to imagine that the courts and the tracks, even the pools will be the runways more watched that anything staged at the world’s big four fashion weeks. Sticking to tennis, fashion will ace away from the staid catwalk.