Tennis superstar makes a big entrance at Wimbledon
Naomi Osaka said she drew inspiration from her Japanese roots for this year's outfit
- Published
You may know Naomi Osaka as a tennis star who has won four Grand Slams and has been world number one.
But fans all over the world also look forward to her arrivals at major tournaments due to the walk-on outfits she wears.
And her first outfit for Wimbledon 2026 did not disappoint.
Sticking to the All England Club's strict "all-white" rules where players must wear predominantly white clothing, Osaka paid tribute to her nation's culture by arriving in a traditional national dress of Japan, called a kimono.
The wrap-around dress had floral details and was designed by Tokyo-based designer Hana Yagi.
Naomi's heritage is Japanese and Haitian.
Osaka, who is 28, says she loves entertaining people with her outfit choices
She then removed the kimono to play her match, which she won 6-1, 7-5 against French player Elsa Jacquemot.
After her win, she told reporters:
"If I dive deeper into Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono. You don't have to see the colour of a kimono to know that it is a kimono."
It's not the first time we have seen Osaka in a striking outfit on court.
During the 2026 Australian Open, she wore a flowing jellyfish-inspired dress, complete with an over-sized hat and veil.
Osaka said that outfit was inspired by a book she read with her young daughter Shai.
Naomi Osaka's walk-on outfits keep getting better
The tennis champ also competed in a gold sequin dress at the 2026 French Open, made to sparkle like "the Eiffel Tower at night".
She says she embraces the feeling of wowing the crowds at large events like Wimbledon.
"Sometimes people say athletes are in show business or entertainers or whatever.
For me, Grand Slam walk-ons are the only time that I possibly feel like I'm an entertainer," Osaka said.
