Just when it feels like women’s tennis fashion has done it all, Naomi Osaka proves there are still surprises left. For her second-round match at the Mutua Madrid Open, the Japanese star took the court wearing a headscarf, turning a traditionally “babushka” look into something unexpectedly chic.
Inspiration for this unconventional tennis aesthetic came from European summers, as Osaka told the press in Madrid on Thursday. “My outfit is all-orange, which is kind of tying this back into clay courts,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said, adding that it feels unusually simple compared to her recent, more extravagant Nike looks.
Back in January at the Australian Open, Osaka shocked fans with a dramatic entrance ahead of her opener against Antonia Ruzic, arriving in a show-stopping jellyfish-inspired dress complete with a veil, a parasol, and an oversized butterfly-adorned hat.
Following her memorable fashion moment at the Madrid Open, Osaka let her tennis do the talking. She delivered a composed, authoritative performance to defeat Camila Osorio 6-2 7-5 in one hour and 20 minutes. This second-round win after a first-round bye marked an important boost for the world No. 15 after a recent second-round exit on hard courts in Miami.
The result echoed their previous meeting just last month, when Osaka edged the Colombian in a three-set battle at Indian Wells. This time on clay, however, she handled Osorio’s defensive game with greater efficiency, using disciplined shot selection to close the match in straight sets.