Overview:
Naomi Osaka, who has Haitian roots by her father, made an announcement entrance on the U.S. Open on Monday night time, sporting a hooded gown lined in newspaper clippings earlier than revealing cornrows styled after Allen Iverson throughout his MVP years with the Philadelphia 76ers. Osaka mentioned the look was a tribute to Iverson, whom she known as an affect on how she thinks about self-expression by trend, and Iverson responded with an appreciative message on social media after she gained her first-round match in straight units.
NEW YORK (AP) — Naomi Osaka channeled Allen Iverson as a part of her U.S. Open debut, and the previous NBA superstar liked the look.
Osaka made her standard modern entrance for her match towards Anastasia Zakharova on Monday night time within the first spherical. The 2-time U.S. Open champion emerged from the tunnel onto the court docket in Arthur Ashe Stadium sporting an extended, white skirt and a grey, hooded gown that includes newspaper clippings about her.
She had the hood on when she entered. When she eliminated that to disclose her black outfit, Osaka had her hair completed in cornrows below a scarf, simply as Iverson did when was the NBA MVP whereas enjoying for the Philadelphia 76ers.
It match together with her attire firm’s theme for the U.S. Open after the New York Knicks gained the NBA championship in June. Aryna Sabalenka is sporting an orange costume, one of many Knicks’ colours.
“It’s my, I assume, my tribute to Iverson. I actually like him rather a lot,” Osaka mentioned following her 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3) victory. “I imply, Nike mentioned basketball, so I mentioned, ‘OK, you need basketball, I’ll offer you basketball.’”
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Naomi Osaka, of Japan, arrives to compete towards Anastasia Zakharova, of Russia, through the first spherical of the U.S. Open tennis championships Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. (AP Picture/Adam Starvation) -
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, arrives to compete towards Anastasia Zakharova, of Russia, through the first spherical of the U.S. Open tennis championships Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. (AP Picture/Adam Starvation) -
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, arrives to compete towards Anastasia Zakharova, of Russia, through the first spherical of the U.S. Open tennis championships Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. (AP Picture/Adam Starvation)
Osaka wore a shirt with Iverson’s image when she met with the media on the eve of the event and known as him a trailblazer.
“I feel he’s additionally somebody that I look as much as rather a lot, as a result of he’s sort completed rather a lot in trend, whether or not it’s on function or not, however he’s shifted the best way that NBA gamers costume,” Osaka mentioned Saturday. “I additionally assume the entire dialog round garments in sports activities and in addition simply expressing your self by type, I really feel like he’s somebody that I look as much as in that regard.”
She added that they’d by no means communicated, however Iverson posted a message to Osaka on his Instagram web page Monday, writing: “Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to fulfill you.”