Naomi Osaka has made another bold fashion statement at the French Open, wearing a metallic gold bomber jacket and an ivory train over her gold playing dress for her second-round match against Donna Vekic. The outfit follows criticism from her first-round opponent Laura Siegemund, who described Osaka's sequined gold dress and ceremonial skirt as a 'fashion show' and accused her of taking too long to remove the outer layer.
Osaka received a warm welcome from fans on Court Simonne-Mathieu as she walked out in the elaborate ensemble, which she removed before warming up. She went on to defeat Vekic 7-6, 6-4 to reach the third round for the first time since 2019. The Japanese star said she enjoys keeping people guessing with her outfits and feels a sense of community around her on-court fashion.
After her first-round win, Osaka revealed the gold dress was inspired by the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. She admitted she was worried the umpire might make her change due to the sun reflecting off the dress, but had backup outfits ready. World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka praised Osaka's self-expression, calling it 'the beauty of the fashion world.'
Osaka, a four-time grand slam champion, has never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros. She now faces 17th seed Iva Jovic for a chance to reach the second week for the first time. 'It means a lot to get this far,' Osaka said after her win.
