Naomi Osaka is unfazed by her social media critics. As the tennis champion moves through the 2026 Australian Open, she’s been serving a mix of fashion and friction on and off the court. While one side of the internet has been debating right vs. wrong during Osaka and Sorana Cîrstea’s tense interaction, other social media users are still marveling (and criticizing) the four-time Grand Slam winner’s walk-on outfit.
For her first match at the Australian Open, Osaka turned the tennis court into her personal runway, stepping out in an ethereal, jellyfish-inspired Nike outfit. The custom design by couturier Robert Wun was met with both praise and criticism in the tennis world.
However, yesterday, Osaka shared her thoughts on the mixed reviews.
“There’s a demographic that’s been talking about ‘traditional’ tennis outfits and calling me classless for what I wear,” she wrote on Threads. “To be honest, I see it for what it is. I don’t do this for them though; they will never get it, and I don’t want them to. I do this for the people who are like me.”
View on Threads
For Osaka, who has long woven her culture and creativity into her on-court looks, the bold fashion decision was rooted in her desire to tell her own story in an industry where her legacy is often defined by game stats and narratives crafted by others.
“When I look back at the players who came before me, I think about how those moments—those looks—have become memories that live forever,” she explained. “So much of the time, other people get to write our stories for us. This felt like a moment where I could write a little bit of my own.”
Over the years, fans have observed a pattern in how Black players are discussed in the tennis world compared to their white counterparts, from Taylor Townsend being forced to gracefully respond to blatant disrespect from a white opponent to veterans like Serena Williams, facing scrutiny for her on-court style.
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Despite the double standard she and many other Black tennis stars face in the sport, Osaka remains unfazed by the chatter.
“I realize I’m a little strange ’cause I don’t really think I care,” she said during a post game press conference. “I want to do things that create joy and happiness, and for me, obviously, I really love fashion, and that makes me excited to wake up and do the whole walk on or whatever. It just creates a little bit more joy in that whole match preparation.”
