In brief
At Wimbledon 2026, Naomi Osaka chose a full‑length, all‑white kimono for her opening match, blending her Japanese heritage with the tournament’s strict dress code. Osaka has been known for her extravagant outfits and cited inspiration from her favourite movies and her dual Japanese‑Haitian culture. She highlighted that wearing such bold fashion could add pressure, yet she admired how fans responded positively. Her fashion choices on the court continue to spark conversations about cultural representation and the boundaries of sports apparel.
Naomi Osaka has long been renowned for dazzling crowds with her on‑court outfits, but making that compatible with Wimbledon’s strict dress code required special inspiration.
Japan’s four‑time major winner paid tribute to her nation’s culture by arriving for her opening match at the All England Club in an elegant, full‑length kimono, entirely white to adhere to the tournament’s rules.
It comes after the 28‑year‑old sparkled in a glittering gold tennis dress that resembled the “Eiffel Tower at night” at the French Open, and wore a spectacular jellyfish‑inspired outfit at the Australian Open in January.
“When I think about Wimbledon, it’s obviously the all‑white. There’s obviously the tradition of it all,” explained Osaka, following her 6‑1 7‑5 victory over French player Elsa Jacquemot.
“In my head, I think about my cultures, my heritage, which is Japanese and Haitian. Then, if I dive deeper into Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono. You don’t have to see the colour of a kimono to know that it is a kimono.”
She added that she was inspired by movies: “I love Kill Bill. I remembered absolutely falling in love with Lucy Liu’s character. She has an all‑white kimono, and I recall that was really cool.”
While Osaka’s fashion statement attracted smiles from fans, she said it was a fun surprise: “I think that was really fun because I didn’t think anyone expected it.”
Looking ahead, Osaka said she preferred to “shake things up” before her other matches at Wimbledon, with Russian Anastasia Gasanova up next. Despite her recent return to the top 20 after the birth of her daughter in 2023, Osaka remains vigilant of the added pressure her outfits bring.
“I wouldn’t say it eases my nerves to wear these outfits because a little part of my mind wants to do well so I can continue wearing them.”, she remarked. “Obviously, like for the French Open, you don’t want to wear a ball gown and lose in the first round. That does cross my mind a little bit.”
