Naomi Osaka has entered Wimbledon for the sixth time in her career, and she let her signature fashion walk do all the talking as she once again decided to stay true to her reputation of making bold fashion statements on the court. Her All England Club fashion reveal has, however, split the tennis community down the middle, as fans had mixed reactions to her customized, on-court attire.
Osaka has taken to Court 3 for her first-round battle in Wimbledon to face Elsa Jacquemot for the second time. Osaka instantly grabbed attention after walking through the players’ tunnel with her signature fashion look, sporting a custom-designed all-white outfit with Japanese artistry fitted into it. She wore a kimono-style dress, paying homage to her Japanese heritage.
Post Credit: The Tennis Letter
The four-time Grand Slam champion’s walk has begun circulating online, giving fans something to talk about. Many admired the craftsmanship of the outfit, while some branded her fashion statement as a medium to bring unnecessary distraction to the traditional aspect of Wimbledon.
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A few others reacted by criticizing her for being focused on fashion rather than tennis, while also labeling her fashion sense as something disrespectful to the tradition of Wimbledon.
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Naomi Osaka Reveals The Inspiration Behind Her Wimbledon Outfit
Naomi Osaka startled the crowd with her Japanese-themed outfit and revealed that the dress was actually inspired by the character Lucy Liu from the movie “Kill Bill.”
“One of my favorite movies is ‘Kill Bill.’ I really love Lucy Liu’s character, O-ren Ishii. She comes out in this really iconic white kimono. I always tell people I like to be like a video character sometimes; I don’t want to be myself when I’m playing on the court and I tried to embody her a little.”
Credit: The Tennis Letter
Osaka also mentioned her love for her Japanese heritage and how interesting it is for her to try to find moments to embody it.
A fashion walk before a big match has always been Osaka’s tradition to transform her on-court walk into a statement that always intends to reveal more by speaking less.
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