Wimbledon 2026: Naomi Osaka turns heads with bold style, cruises into third round

Naomi Osaka continued her strong Wimbledon campaign with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 win over Russian qualifier Anastasia Gasanova on a sunny Wednesday, booking her place in the third round with an impressive display. The four-time Grand Slam champion, seeded 14th, arrived on Court Two in a striking outfit that balanced elegance and style. Unlike the ‘Kill Bill’ kimono she wore in the opening round, Osaka opted for a more understated look featuring a dress with a decorative sash, a flowing train, and a bomber jacket that drew almost as much attention as her performance on court.

Osaka has become known for making bold fashion statements at Grand Slam tournaments this year. She wore a black Kevin Germanier skirt at the French Open before revealing a layered yellow-brown and gold Nike match dress inspired by the illuminated Eiffel Tower at night. Earlier in the season, she also attracted attention at the Australian Open with a jellyfish-inspired outfit during her entrance.

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Fashion experimentation

"My inspiration when it comes to fashion? I don't know. I feel like my inspiration can be anything," Osaka said. "I grew up in Florida for the most part when I was in my development years. Then I took a trip to Japan one day. Then obviously you go to Harajuku and you see everyone expressing themselves through clothes," she said, referring to the Tokyo region known for its fashion culture. "It was just so cool and colourful. That stuck out to me a ‌lot. ⁠I kind of used that in my fashion experimentation. I don't really ever have a plan when it comes to clothes. It's okay to try something and fail, but I'd rather just try it and see how it goes."

Once the match started, Osaka's tennis was every bit as commanding as her fashion choices. She comfortably claimed the opening set before raising her intensity in the second, producing a powerful overhead smash to break serve for a 4-2 lead. She maintained complete control from that point, securing her place in the third round at Wimbledon for the fourth time.

Although Osaka has yet to advance beyond the third round at the All England Club, she will have another opportunity when she faces Australia's Daria Kasatkina in the next round. Despite looking ahead to her upcoming match, Osaka revealed that her immediate priority is celebrating a special family occasion.

"Tomorrow's my daughter's (third) birthday," Osaka said. "I just wanted to be here for longer. I don't ⁠want to make her get on a plane on her birthday. I was really happy about today. "Obviously I have to practice in the morning, but maybe after we'll go around the park and stuff. She loves making friends so yeah, we'll probably do that."