Japanese professional tennis player Naomi Osaka emulated “brat summer” to a tee at the US Open Tuesday, captivating the crowd in a custom Ambush and Nike collaborative outfit.
The four-time Grand Slam champion sported a green-and-white look, featuring a puffy green skirt with white tulle, a crisp white Nike jacket, matching green wristbands and a matching green visor, completed with ruffled bows head to toe. From her Beats headphones to her custom Nike Zoom GP Challenge 1 sneakers, Osaka truly reclaimed her confidence as she returned from a 15-month break for the birth of her daughter.
After removing her warm-up layer she unveiled a green racer-back Nike dress featuring more ruffles along the skirt and armholes topped off with a flowy white bow.
“When I put on the outfit, it’s almost like a super suit,” Osaka said in an interview with The Washington Post.
Yoon Ahn, the creative director of Ambush and global curator for Nike Women, is responsible for designing this stunning ensemble, which was customized for Osaka’s first-round match against 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. Osaka defeated Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2, marking her first win against a top-10 opponent in four years.
Ahn said, “For Naomi’s look, she brought forward a vision and it was my job as a designer to create something that she'll feel confident and comfortable in when she walks onto the court, allowing her to bring 100% of herself. The collection is an extension of that idea, allowing women to bring out their character and enhance their own personal styles.”
Instagram users are fangirling over Osaka’s one-of-a-kind outfit. According to an article from Highsnobiety, Osaka's outfit "might be the best ever."
This marks a new chapter in the 26-year-old athlete's life since returning to tennis, following the birth of her daughter, Shai, and her outfit did not disappoint.
“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 said in a Nike statement. “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.”
Osaka played Karolína Muchová in the headline match of the tournament Thursday and was ultimately eliminated 6-3, 7-6.
Though Osaka’s next tournament appearance remains uncertain, fans will eagerly anticipate more remarkable outfits as she continues her career.
