01/20/26 09:05:00
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01/20 06:49 CST Naomi Osaka makes grand entrance and big fashion statement at
Australian Open
Naomi Osaka makes grand entrance and big fashion statement at Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) --- Naomi Osaka made a fashion statement and quite an
entrance to the Australian Open, wearing a wide-brim hat, veil and holding a
white parasol as she walked onto Rod Laver Arena for her first-round match on
Tuesday.
The No. 16 seed then went on to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 against Antonia Ruzic in 2
hours and 22 minutes.
A symbolic butterfly on her hat and umbrella was a reference to her Australian
Open title in 2021, she explained in her on-court TV interview. The colors and
tendrils on her dress represented a jellyfish in a design inspired by her
daughter, Shai.
Osaka said her clothing sponsor, Nike, "let me design this one."
"It's modeled after a jellyfish," she said. "I'm just so grateful I get to do
the things I love."
Osaka has won two of her four Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open in 2019
and 2021, the year a butterfly landed on her nose during a third-round match
and became one of the iconic images of that tournament.
In social media posts Tuesday, the women's tour said Osaka's arrival was an
iconic "diva-worthy" entrance, and described the hat as being "decorated with a
butterfly and worn low over the eyes la Beyonc in the singer's ?Formation'
video."
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