Naomi Osaka makes eye-catching Nike fashion | Sports News

Naomi Osaka has worn lots of iconic seems to be throughout her tennis profession, however Tuesday night time on the US Open could have seen her most unforgettable entrance but.

The four-time Grand Slam champion and practically freshly single star walked into Louis Armstrong Stadium forward of her first-round match in opposition to Belgium’s Greet Minnen wearing a monochrome crimson sequin Nike zip-up go well with that shimmered underneath the lights. With each step, the Japanese and Haitian-American star caught consideration, pairing the glowing outfit with a black visor and ruby-red customized Beats headphones, and a matching Labubu collectible plush toy named Billie Jean Bling, a play on phrases towards the tennis legend.

The of completion got here in Osaka‘s braided hair, which flowed down her back and was embellished with blinged-out crimson roses. The general impact was nothing short of cinematic, as ESPN and the official US Open social channels drew consideration to her outfit, which shone just like the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

Social media lit up nearly immediately, with tennis followers flooding timelines to reward the look. “Her kit is on fire,” one wrote, while another added, “Yeah, that is fairly LIT.” Others chimed in with, “That drip is so blinding,” “so clean,” and “Naomi Osaka’s US Open package is completely beautiful! She at all times is aware of how to make a assertion.”

When play began, Osaka shed the sequined warm-up gear to reveal a matching competition outfit: a flowing red set in the same glittering material. A sleeveless top and flared skirt kept the theme alive, and custom Nikes built in red and black completed the look.

The entire ensemble’s cohesion, from hair to shoes, clearly showed Osaka had crafted one of the most daring US Open entrances ever. She reinforced this stylish impression with focus after beating Minnen (6-3) in the first set, then maintained an early lead in the second before the match was interrupted.

After a mistake during the middle of the second set, Osaka refocused and defeated Minnen in straight sets. She will next play Hailey Baptiste, who beat Katerina Siniakova, in the second round.

Her only first-round exit at the U.S. Open came in 2016, when she was unseeded and lost to Danielle Collins. Collins advanced to the third round before falling to eventual semifinalist Aryna Sabalenka.

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For the 27-year-old, Flushing Meadows continues to be her most reliable Grand Slam venue. She has a 79 percent success rate in New York and has gained the title twice, first in 2018, when she stunned Serena Williams as an unseeded underdog, and again in 2020 because the No. 4 seed, defeating Victoria Azarenka in three units.

Her solely first-round exit on the U.S. Open got here in 2016, when she was unseeded and misplaced to Danielle Collins. Collins superior to the third spherical earlier than falling to eventual semifinalist Aryna Sabalenka.