Aryna Sabalenka recently commented on Japan’s Naomi Osaka’s stunning fashion statement ahead of her first-round exit at the 2026 Australian Open. The Belarusian also hopes that Nike will give her the freedom to do something similar, but the world number one said on a more positive note that she has her own plans for a stylish pre-match exit from the 2027 tennis season.

Osaka donned a luxurious outfit she designed specifically for this year’s Australian Open in collaboration with Nike and Robert Wan. The Japanese herself admitted that the viral look was inspired by her two-year-old daughter Shai. The four-time Grand Slam champion then won her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic on Tuesday, January 20, in three sets.

the next day, Alina Sabalenka He quickly defeated his second round opponent Bai Zhuoxuan. Later, the Belarusian interacted with reporters at the post-match press conference. Here, the former two-time Melbourne champion is asked to share her thoughts Naomi OsakaA viral fashion statement. Sabalenka expressed her admiration for Japanese styling and the fashion industry in general, saying:

“You know, fashion is really beautiful and you can express yourself in any way and it’s a very free world. There’s no judgment. There’s only one person who sees fashion one way and other people see fashion another way. That’s why it’s so beautiful and you can express your personality freely and yesterday I thought it was a perfect fit for her personality and her culture and a lot of stuff. So, that’s pretty cool.” (Starts at 2:30)

The 22-time professional singles champion went on to discuss the possibility of incorporating more fashion and glamor into her pre-match exits in the future, adding:

“I’m hoping Nike will let me do something like this, but not this year, but we’re working on it. I think I’ll be more of a classy entrance. I don’t know, maybe a long coat. I’ve been fantasizing about it, trying to figure it out, and it’s not good enough yet, but I’ll definitely come up with something cool next year.”

Aryna Sabalenka thanks Nike at 2025 US Open

She was at a press conference Successfully defended the 2025 US Open titleAryna Sabalenka thanked Nike for customizing her dress after taking into account the fashion preferences and ideas of Belarusians.

“The better I dress, the better I perform. The better I feel in the outfit, the better I play. So, this is very important to me. I’m so grateful to Nike and the Wilson team for creating something so special. I think the bag is great, the racket is great. I think my outfit is really cool. I gave the Nike team some ideas and they created a very special outfit. So, this is a very special moment for me,” said Aryna Sabalenka.

Osaka will face Sorana Cirstea in the second round of the women’s singles. Australian Open 2026while Sabalenka will face Anastasia Potapova in the third round.