Why Naomi Osaka's Sparkly, Labubu-Laden US Open Look Matters

Naomi Osaka is back in the swing of things. After a tough time at Wimbledon in July, the tennis icon took on the US Open in style, defeating her opponent, Greet Minnen, with ease (6-3, 6-4 in her first match) and donning a shimmering rose-themed kit. Even from the nosebleeds of the Louis Armstrong Stadium, Osaka sparkled — not only in her gameplay, but quite literally.

The glistening ensemble in question: a custom Nike tank dress from stylist Yoon Ahn, shimmering Beats by Dre headphones fit for a modern-day Dorothy, GP Challenge 1 "Naomi Osaka" Sneakers ($170), and crystalline roses tucked throughout her hair, including a detachable braid that was removed once the match began. The icing on the cake? A custom bedazzled Labubu — AKA the perfect mascot for her New York return.

In a post-game interview, Osaka told reporters that she's been planning the outfit for years, but it officially came together a few weeks ago with the help of her stylist. "I was like: 'Do you think this is possible?' Maybe it was two weeks ago," Osaka told the crowd. "Yeah, we kind of just toss ideas around. Obviously, the outcome is way better than I could have imagined."

While Osaka admitted that both she and her stylist worried the crystals would be hard to incorporate into a performance outfit, they were both eager to make it happen. "I just thought it would be really fun to do at New York under the lights," she said. "I'm glad that my first match was a night match because this outfit was really fun to play."

As for the Labubu, that's courtesy of A-Morir studio. "She's named Billie Jean Bling. Not Billie Jean King. Billie Jean Bling," Osaka said as she showed off the trendy accessory. "I'm glad she made people laugh today."

As Osaka explained her outfit to the crowd, you could see the joy and levity radiating through her as the audience applauded her impressive performance both in gameplay and style. And honestly, she deserves it. The athlete has faced a plethora of criticism and speculation lately, namely around her mental health.

"I'm just going to be a negative human being today, I'm so sorry," Osaka said during a press interview post-Wimbledon loss. "I have nothing positive to say about myself, which is something I'm working on." That quote led both fans and news outlets to speculate over Osaka's mental health, something that she's been open about struggling with before, especially after the birth of her daughter. "Wtf, why don't they clip my press conferences after I win?" Osaka posted on Threads after taking notice of the critiques. "Like why push the narrative that I'm always sad?"

"Sure I was disappointed a couple hours ago, now I'm motivated to do better. That's human emotions," Osaka later added to the commentary via Threads. Unfortunately, the concern expressed by society isn't a shocker. Women athletes, especially Black women athletes, have a history of being emotionally policed in sport (see: Angel Reese, Serena Williams, the list goes on). I've said it before and I'll say it again: "Last time we checked, emotions exist on a spectrum, and everyone is allowed to experience them in their own right and time. No assumptions required."

That said, it was great to see Osaka having fun at the US Open and leaning into the playfulness of the game. But don't celebrate her in her sparkle if you can't support her during moments of self-critique, too. This athlete, icon, mother, and changemaker deserves every rose (crystalline or not) in the world — and then some.

Alexis Jones (she/her) is the senior health and fitness editor at PS. In her seven years of editorial experience, Alexis has developed passions and areas of expertise around mental health, women's health and fitness, racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, and chronic conditions. Prior to joining PS, she was the senior editor at Health magazine. Her other bylines can be found at Women's Health, Prevention, Marie Claire, and more.