Naomi Osaka is bringing the ultimate court-side energy to the US Open! The tennis superstar turned heads on Monday as she channeled none other than NBA legend Allen Iverson for her first-round victory over Anastasia Zakharova.
Osaka made her signature fashion-forward entrance onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium court, rocking a long, white skirt paired with a gray, hooded robe covered in newspaper clippings about her career. But the real showstopper came when she pulled back her hood to reveal cornrows styled under a headband—a total nod to Iverson’s iconic look during his MVP era with the Philadelphia 76ers. She even finished the look with an arm sleeve, making the basketball-themed ensemble complete.
She isn’t the only one getting in on the hoops-inspired fashion; World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is also serving looks in an orange dress, a direct tribute to the New York Knicks’ historic championship win this past June.
As for the inspiration behind her look, Osaka kept it real after her 7-6, 7-6 victory. “It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” she explained. “I mean, Nike said basketball, so I said: ‘OK, you want basketball, I’ll give you basketball.’”
The tennis pro, who had already been spotted sporting an Iverson-themed tee during her Saturday press conference, made it clear that the NBA Hall of Famer is a huge fashion muse for her.
“I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s kind of done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not, but he’s shifted the way that NBA players dress,” she shared. “I also think the whole conversation around clothes in sports and also just expressing yourself through style, I feel like he’s someone that I look up to in that regard.”
While the two haven’t met just yet, Iverson was clearly feeling the love. He took to Instagram on Monday to give Osaka a major shoutout, writing: “Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to meet you.”