Osaka brings style and steel for winning start to US Open
The two-time champion unveils another bold walk-on outfit in her victory over unseeded Russian Anastasia Zakharova.
On Monday, Naomi Osaka, the reigning US Open champion, made a bold first-round appearance at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, wearing an Allen Iverson-inspired outfit. The four-time Grand Slam winner featured a hooded tunic adorned with press clippings from her past tournament appearances, accompanied by a billowing white tulle train.
Osaka's fashion choices have been a major highlight of this year's major tournaments, as she previously sported a kimono-inspired outfit at Wimbledon, a black skirt at Roland Garros, and a jellyfish-inspired ensemble at the Australian Open. Her Allen Iverson-inspired look this time was a tribute to the basketball legend, with Nike supporting her creative expression through clothing.
In her match against unseeded Russian Anastasia Zakharova, Osaka dominated the first set with a 7-6(6) victory, taking an early 4-1 lead. However, the world No 101 player forced a tiebreak, which Osaka won 6-3 to secure the first set. The second set was a closely contested affair, with Osaka holding her nerve to clinch the 7-6(3) victory.
Osaka expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete and stressed the importance of not having any regrets, as she had not played since Toronto. She will face Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova in the second round.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
