Osaka responds to criticism with another bold French Open entrance
The Story
Naomi Osaka made another striking entrance at the French Open on Thursday, wearing a white floor-length flared train over her outfit for her second-round match against Donna Vekic. This came after her first-round opponent Laura Siegemund said she was “not here for a fashion show” following Osaka’s earlier sequined waistcoat and mesh train ensemble. Osaka defeated Vekic 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 to reach the third round for the first time since 2019.
Key Facts
- Naomi Osaka is the No. 16 seed at the French Open.
- She beat Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 in the second round on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
- Osaka’s first-round outfit consisted of a sequined waistcoat blouse and black mesh train over a layered yellow-brown and gold match dress.
- Laura Siegemund criticized that outfit, saying she was “not here for a fashion show” after losing to Osaka in straight sets.
- For the Vekic match, Osaka arrived in a white floor-length flared train over her outfit.
- Osaka said, “I like to keep people on their toes. I think it’s really fun.”
- She also noted that she had similar bold outfits at the Australian Open (wide-brim hat, veil, white parasol) and last year’s US Open (sparkly red roses in her ponytail, matching Labubu named ‘Billie Jean Bling’).
- After the match, Osaka described a car accident in Paris where a bus reversed into the vehicle she was traveling in. She said, “I wasn’t scared for my life, but I was just like: ‘Whoa, this bus is really backing up into us’.”
- Osaka commented on reports that Serena Williams is set to come out of retirement to play doubles at Queen’s and Wimbledon, saying, “I think it will bring people to watch tennis… it’s going to be cool to see her on the grounds again.”
- Other players advancing: Aryna Sabalenka beat Elsa Jacquemot 7-5 6-2; Coco Gauff beat Mayar Sherif 6-3 6-2; Amanda Anisimova led Julia Grabher 6-0 when Grabher retired.
- Osaka will next face 16th-seed Iva Jovic, who beat Emma Navarro 6-0 6-3.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
Naomi Osaka (Japanese tennis player, former world No. 1, No. 16 seed) Laura Siegemund (German tennis player, Osaka’s first-round opponent) Donna Vekic (Croatian tennis player, Osaka’s second-round opponent) Iva Jovic (American tennis player, No. 16 seed, Osaka’s next opponent) Aryna Sabalenka (world No. 1) Coco Gauff (defending champion) Amanda Anisimova (No. 6 seed) Serena Williams (23-time major winner, reportedly considering return) Julia Grabher (Austrian tennis player, retired mid-match) Elsa Jacquemot (French tennis player) Mayar Sherif (Egyptian tennis player) Emma Navarro (American tennis player)
Sources: Sky Sports
