Naomi Osaka caused quite the stir with her pre-match outfits at Roland Garros this year.
Just as she did in Melbourne for the Australian Open, Osaka walked onto the court in style at the 2026 French Open.
It’s safe to say her extravagant outfits divided opinion, as some love the way she blends sport and fashion, while others aren’t so sure.
Do you like Naomi Osaka’s desire to create new outfits at Grand Slams or is it a distraction? 👀
French Open semi-finalist, Diana Shnaider, is a member of the second group.
Diana Shnaider doesn’t understand and doesn’t like the presentation of Naomi Osaka’s outfits
Appearing as a guest on ‘Hardcourt‘, Shnaider was asked for her thoughts on Osaka’s outfits.
“I have nothing against what she does,” said Shnaider (translated from Russian).
“I just don’t like the way this is being presented.
“There are some boundaries, this is sport [and] this is fashion.
“I am not sure about these being combined and intersecting very strongly.
“It’s clear that she has some kind of signature dress, but why she makes it so spectacular, I don’t understand, and I don’t like it.
“It’s very strange for me when people are just waiting to see her performance in some dress, which everyone is waiting to see, rather than her game.
“We put her on a big court just to see how she will look in her beautiful dress, but not to see how she will play.”
Osaka, the world number 15, played all four of her matches at the French Open on the three signature courts.
Naomi Osaka at the 2026 French Open
| Round | Court | Opponent | Result |
| 1R | Suzanne Lenglen | Laura Siegemund | WIN |
| 2R | Simonne-Mathieu | Donna Vekic | WIN |
| 3R | Suzanne Lenglen | Iva Jovic | WIN |
| 4R | Philippe Chatrier | Aryna Sabalenka | LOSS |
Shnaider, on the other hand, only played three of her six matches on the bigger courts.
Diana Shnaider at the 2026 French Open
| Round | Court | Opponent | Result |
| 1R | Court 14 | Renata Zarazua | WIN |
| 2R | Court 7 | McCartney Kessler | WIN |
| 3R | Court 7 | Oleksandra Oliynykova | WIN |
| 4R | Suzanne Lenglen | Madison Keys | WIN |
| QF | Philippe Chatrier | Aryna Sabalenka | WIN |
| SF | Philippe Chatrier | Maja Chwalinska | LOSS |
Now, it would be wrong to say Osaka was only given the bigger courts because of her outfits; after all, she is a four-time Grand Slam champion.
But the argument that the fashion show before her matches detracts from the on-court action is certainly worth debating.
Players should be free to express themselves and Osaka is doing just that, although it may not be entirely fair on her opponents.
Walking on court for your first-round match at a Grand Slam and seeing your rival wearing a black dress or holding an umbrella as she did at the Australian Open is surely an unwanted distraction.
Especially for younger or lower-ranked players, you could argue their ‘moment’ is overshadowed by whatever Osaka chooses to wear on a given day.
Maybe there is a balance to be found here that would suit all parties.
A Grand Slam final – Go all out. But a first-round match? Might be an idea to give it a miss.
Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff are both fans of Naomi Osaka’s outfits
There is, however, plenty of support for Osaka and her outfits.
During this year’s Australian Open, world number one Aryna Sabalenka shared her thoughts on Osaka’s fashion in a press conference.
“I think yesterday that was a perfect fit of her personality, her culture, a lot of things. That was pretty cool,” she said.
Last year’s French Open champion Coco Gauff was also a fan.
“I feel like Naomi, being a two-time champion here, she can do that, really anyone can do it, it’s fashion, there are no rules!” she said.
“But that was an insane arrival, I thought it was really cool, and I think what she is doing for the sport and fashion is cool and bringing new eyes to the sport.”
All eyes now turn to Wimbledon, where fans will eagerly anticipate Osaka’s attempt to weave fashion into the All England Club’s strict dress code.
