Digital Cover: Naomi Osaka Plays a Different Game
Fresh off the Australian Open, Osaka reflects on legacy, fashion, and what winning means beyond the sport.
Naomi Osaka picked up a racket at three and turned pro at 16. By 2019, she held the WTA’s No. 1 singles ranking for 25 consecutive weeks. A self-proclaimed fashion kid at heart, she grew up glued to the screen, studying players’ outfits as closely as their backhands. “I love the tennis players that I looked up to, because they wore things that I remember. As a kid, I was the fashion girl who loved all the grand reveals,” Osaka tells us.
In our interview, she reflects on how her collaboration with AMBUSH’s Yoon Ahn helped unlock a new identity on court. “I definitely think that outfit was when it clicked for me,” she says. “Before that point, my outfits were a little bit different from traditional tennis outfits, but I didn’t go fully out or commit to the bit.”
Now a four-time Grand Slam champion, the sport carries a deeper meaning. Beyond titles, she’s using her platform to express who she is, with fashion becoming one of her clearest languages.
Fresh off January’s Australian Open, we spoke with Osaka about legacy and how she hopes to pave the way for players beyond just performance.
Hit the link to read our full digital cover story.
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