Naomi Osaka Dominates In 1st US Open Match In 2 Years

Source: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / Getty

It’s been two years since Naomi Osaka played in the U.S. Open after deciding to take some time off for maternity leave, and she chose to return with a bang. Osaka ensured she was fashion-forward prior to opening her first match, and Nike stamped it. Nike connected Osaka with fashion designer Yoon Ahn to create fire looks to ensure she looks as good during her walk-on as she does her matches.

For a fire fit, Ahn designed unique walk-on skirts and jackets with giant bows on the back that resembled wings. The competition kit was unveiled alongside a new Nike Women by Yoon apparel collection, which is currently available on Nike.com and its retail stores. Osaka says her influence on the look comes from her temperament changing once she gets on the court and how she playfully expresses it. “The inspiration that fueled the look for me — and this might be a Japanese term — is feeling like a ‘magical girl’ on the court,” Osaka says. “There’s a moment of transformation for me when I walk onto the court, and I have a lot of fun playing, so wanting everyone who sees the outfit to connect with that feeling is a really big motivation for me.” This motivated her enough to dominate the court in round one of the U.S. Open when she beat Latvia’s Jeļena Ostapenko in two straight sets, 3-6, 2-6.

Instead of the subdued dark-themed outfit she wore in Nike’s press release, she opted for a tennis ball-green skirt, bow, and visor, which looked perfect as she recorded her first top-ten win in more than four years.

After the win, an emotional Osaka fought back the tears and spoke on what it was like striving to win for the past four years and experiencing the history-making win fellow American Coco Gauff made last year when her U.S. Open win made her the youngest American player to do so since Serena Williams.

“I remember last year I was watching Coco play and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again and I didn’t know if I could,” she said during her on-court interview.“I didn’t know athletically, physically if I was able to and just to win this match and just to be in this atmosphere means so much to me.”

See how social media reacts to her emotional win and outfit below.