Naomi Osaka says criticism of her extravagant US Open outfits is 'worth it' if it helps future players. The 28-year-old wore a hooded white gown for her first-round win, featuring an all-black basketball-style kit beneath. She styled her hair in braids with a headband paying tribute to NBA star Allen Iverson, calling him a 'trailblazer' in fashion.

At the last-16, Osaka wore a decorated coat in her defeat to Elena Rybakina. She drew parallels to her 2021 French Open mental health advocacy, noting similar criticism follows her fashion choices. 'I don't mind being the first to do something and getting trashed for it,' she wrote on social media.

Osaka, of Haitian-American and Japanese heritage, stated: 'I'm literally Haitian it's in my blood to be this way.' She emphasized her actions aim to create easier paths for those who follow.