Wearing eye-catching items while entering the Australian Open
“Inspired by my daughter’s favorite jellyfish”
The tennis court was transformed into a fashion show runway.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka (world no. 17) won 2-1 (6-3, 3-6, 6-4) in the first round of the women’s singles at the Australian Open tennis tournament against Antonia Ruzic (65th, Croatia) held in Melbourne, Australia on the 20th (Korean time). However, tennis fans’ attention was focused on Osaka’s appearance, not Osaka’s victory. Osaka, who won the 2019 and 2021 Australian Open, entered wearing a wide-brimmed white hat, a long veil hanging behind her head, and holding a white parasol. The light chiffon top and bottoms worn by Osaka in a harmonious combination of turquoise and white were clearly different from the attire of existing tennis players.
The response to Osaka’s ‘fashion show’ was not very positive, with even the Associated Press describing it as saying, “If the contestant had lost in the first round, such a flashy appearance would have backfired.” But it was a meaningful moment for Osaka.
According to Osaka, the turquoise outfit she wore when entering the court was inspired by her daughter, born in 2023, who likes jellyfish. Osaka explained on her SNS, “I was inspired by my daughter. I expressed the symbolic feeling of energy, change, and excitement as the birth of something new.”
The butterfly decorations on the hat and parasol were also special. During the third round of the 2021 tournament, a butterfly stayed with Osaka for a while and became a symbol of good luck. Osaka commented, “The entrance where the athlete appears is designed to be reminiscent of the sea and waves, so everything came together so beautifully.”
At this year’s Australian Open, player outfits were a hot topic even on the 19th. During the first round of the women’s singles match against Yuan Yue (130th, China), Lee Ga Sibion Tech (2nd place, Poland) was seen sitting on a bench and tearing the side slit of her skirt with her hands, as if her skirt was somewhat uncomfortable, which was clearly exposed to many fans.
Reporter Oh Hae-won
