Naomi Osaka's Wimbledon Fashion Statement
Naomi Osaka aims to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time on Friday.
Continuing her tradition of striking Wimbledon attire, the four-time Grand Slam champion made a memorable appearance for her second-round match.
After opening the tournament in an elegant, full-length white kimono that complied with the All England Club's strict dress code, Osaka opted to "mix it up a little bit" for her return to the court on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old combined a white jacket adorned with a floral pattern and a long train trailing behind her, secured at the waist by an obi—a large, decorative belt traditionally worn with a kimono.
Her entrance from the locker room to number two court captivated spectators and photographers alike.
Just over an hour later, Osaka matched her best Wimbledon performance by defeating Russian Anastasia Gasanova 6-3, 6-2, advancing to the third round.
Osaka on Fashion Inspiration
"I feel like my inspiration can be anything,"said Osaka, a former world number one born in Japan to a Haitian father and Japanese mother, who primarily grew up in Florida.
"I took a trip to Japan one day. Obviously, you go to Harajuku [a district of Tokyo famous for its fashion culture], and see everyone expressing themselves through clothes.
"It was just so cool and colourful. That stuck out to me a lot. I kind of used that in my fashion experimentation.
"I don't really ever have a plan when it comes to clothes. I think it's OK to try something and fail, but I'd rather just try it and see how it goes."
Osaka will face Russian-born Australian Daria Kasatkina in the third round, with world number one Aryna Sabalenka a potential fourth-round opponent.
Her Wimbledon outfits follow previous eye-catching ensembles, including a glittering gold tennis dress at the French Open that resembled "the Eiffel Tower at night" and a jellyfish-inspired outfit at the Australian Open in January.
American Taylor Fritz also made a notable entrance on Court One in a tailored suit, while men's record 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic wore a custom-made blazer for his first-round victory.
Osaka's Recent Grand Slam Outfits
Osaka's fashion choices at major tournaments have been widely discussed, including a Nike outfit inspired by Japanese sakura cherry blossoms at the 2025 French Open and an outfit featuring a giant bow on her back at the 2024 US Open.
Sabalenka's Third Round and Fan Interaction
Later, Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the third round, where she made a memorable moment for a young fan on Court One.
After completing a 6-1, 7-6 (11-9) victory over McCartney Kessler, Sabalenka paused to take a photo with a young girl who had a replica of the Belarusian's tiger tattoo on her left arm.
Sabalenka has explained that the tattoo represents her "aggressive attitude while playing tennis."
"It was so adorable. She said she has the same tattoo as me. It was really cute,"the world number one told .
"For me, it's very inspiring to see little kids copying you, watching you and supporting you."
"That's always been one of my goals. I want to inspire young kids to do the right things and to be a good example.
"To see them cheering for me and really connecting with me — that's a big win. I'm super happy to feel that support. It's really inspiring."
Sabalenka will next face former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an anticipated third-round match after the Latvian defeated Croatia's Antonia Ruzic 6-2, 6-0.
