Naomi Osaka made a bold statement at the 2026 US Open, combining tennis

Naomi Osaka (Reuters Photo)

NEW DELHI: Naomi Osaka made a bold statement at the 2026 US Open, combining tennis with basketball-inspired fashion as she stepped onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first-round match against Anastasia Zakharova. I really like him a lot,” Osaka said after her 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3) win. She led 5-2 in the first set and 5-3 in the second, but Zakharova fought back both times to force tiebreaks.

Osaka eventually won both and secured her place in the second round.

“I mean, Nike said basketball, so I said, ‘OK, you want basketball, I’ll give you basketball.’” Osaka had already spoken about Iverson before the tournament, calling him a trailblazer who changed how NBA players approached fashion and self-expression. “I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s kind done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not, but he’s shifted the way that NBA players dress,” Osaka said Saturday. She arrived wearing a long white skirt and a gray hooded robe covered with newspaper-style clippings. Underneath, she wore a black outfit, while her hair was styled in cornrows beneath a headband, a look strongly associated with NBA legend Allen Iverson during his Philadelphia 76ers days. “It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. On court, Osaka had to work hard for her victory.

Grand Slam Win Sets Up Next Match Against Siniakova

In her latest match, she secured her 79th Grand Slam victory and her 29th win in the opening round of a major tournament. She is set to compete against Czech player Katerina Siniakova next. The two have faced each other three times previously, with her holding a 2-1 edge in their career matchups.