Naomi Osaka has reached Rome and is preparing for the Italian Open. Interestingly, just on Monday, the four-time Grand Slam champion turned heads during the 2026 Met Gala in New York with her stunning outfit.
On Wednesday, a video dropped confirming Osaka’s presence in Rome. In the 12-second clip, Osaka can be seen making some small jogs with earphones on.
Previously, there were doubts about how the Japanese would manage both the Met Gala and the Italian Open since they are less than a week apart. Some even called her out for lack of professionalism and prioritizing things off the court.
Venus Williams, who co-chaired the event in New York, faced a similar situation and instead decided to skip the tour even after receiving a wild card. But Osaka made it to Rome in less than two days.
At the 2026 Met Gala, Osaka appeared in a look designed by Robert Wun. Midway into the red carpet, her dramatic outer layer was removed as Osaka delivered one of the night’s most talked-about appearances. The inside dress was crafted with hundreds of thousands of stitches and thousands of crystals.
How Naomi Osaka Managed Both Events
Naomi Osaka had a first-round bye. The first round matches are scheduled from May 5 to May 7. So, Osaka had the time gap to make it to Rome in time. However, without proper pre-tournament conditioning, she could suffer in the matches to come.
Her first match would be against the winner of the Katie Boulter and Eva Lys Round of 128 match later in the week.
Osaka has played only one clay tournament so far this. She participated in the Madrid Open, where she was defeated by World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Round of 16. She gave a tough fight to the Belarusian, stretching the match to three sets.
Her Madrid Open run filled her with optimism to continue balancing her motherhood and professional tennis career. Earlier, after a shocking early loss in tennis, she dropped a hint that she might retire, as she basically said there’s no point in playing if she is going to lose in the first couple of rounds. But after stitching some good wins in Madrid, she buffed retirement rumors in a way only she can.
It remains to be seen how Osaka performs in Rome, given she might not have gotten enough practice time before the second-round match.
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