Naomi Osaka in her Jellyfish Tennis outfit: Naomi Osaka’s Instagram
By Zahra Buchanan,
Lady Eleanor Holles
This article was written by one of our Young Reporters, a scheme that gives 14 to 18-year-old school students a chance to write for a real newspaper. Find out more at the
Young Reporter website.
On Tuesday 20th January, tennis player Naomi Osaka wowed fans worldwide as she walked onto the court wearing a rather striking outfit. Under her standard tennis attire, she was seen wearing white wide-legged trousers, paired with a distinctive hat, veil, and parasol. Even after removing the accessories (as she obviously cannot play whilst dressed so elaborately), her outfit remained breathtaking. Inspired by a jellyfish, the piece was decorated with unique frills and followed a green and blue colour scheme.
When speaking about the outfit, Osaka credits her daughter as inspiration. She was reading a children’s book with the two-year-old when they came upon a picture of a jellyfish. Osaka explains that this then led her to the theme of finding beauty in unexpected places; the jellyfish is surprisingly beautiful in the same way that her detailed outfit stunned thousands.
The piece was designed in collaboration with Nike and designer Robert Wun, who had previously found inspiration in the Japanese player when a butterfly landed on her face at last year’s Australian Open. Much to Osaka’s excitement, the dress has already sold out on Nike’s website, demonstrating the positive reception it has received.
Some people, however, argue that Osaka is undermining key aspects of the sport. Tennis is known for being an extremely traditional game, with the audience required to remain silent throughout points and closely regulated rules govern player behaviour. Moments of frustration – such as smashing a racket – are frowned upon, and players are expected to respect the well-established conventions of their sport. It is arguable that Osaka’s moment of fashion, regardless of its appeal, is out of place. She is there to play tennis, and whilst the tennis dress itself is functional, her entry outfit is hardly suitable for the court. British player Jamie Murray even claimed that there was “an element of disrespect to the sport of tennis”, and questioned “what are you [Osaka] doing?” However, the Japanese player was quick to defend herself, explaining on Threads that she does not “do this for them…I do this for the people that get me.”
Osaka has previously cited tennis icons such as the Williams Sisters and Maria Sharapova as inspirations; they are often regarded as leaders in bringing fashion to tennis. Famously, Serena Williams campaigned for tennis attire to be suitable for women, causing controversy after wearing a catsuit at the 2002 US Open, despite its practical function of aiding blood flow.
Overall, despite her retirement from the tournament due to injury, it is undeniable that Naomi Osaka and her Jellyfish-inspired tennis dress remain one of the main talking points of the 2026 Australian Open, regardless of controversy.
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AloJapan.com