Naomi Osaka Advances to US Open Second Round with Tribute to Allen Iverson

Former tournament winner Naomi Osaka advanced to the second round of the US Open on Monday night following a straight-sets victory over Anastasia Zakharova at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. Osaka won the match 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3). Alongside her performance on the court, the two-time US Open champion attracted attention for a pre-match outfit and hairstyle designed as a tribute to former professional basketball player Allen Iverson.

Osaka arrived at the stadium court wearing a long white skirt and a gray hooded robe covered in printed newspaper clippings concerning her career. After taking off the hood and robe before play began, she displayed a black outfit accompanied by a headband worn over cornrowed hair. The presentation mirrored the iconic hairstyle and headband combination worn by Iverson during his time playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, including his season as Most Valuable Player in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The outfit aligns with an apparel theme created by Osaka’s sponsor, Nike, which focused on basketball following the New York Knicks’ NBA championship win in June. Other players sponsored by the company, such as Aryna Sabalenka, also wore basketball-inspired attire during the tournament, with Sabalenka competing in an orange dress reflecting one of the team’s primary colors.

Addressing her attire after the match, Osaka confirmed the connection to the basketball icon. “It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” she said. She added that when the apparel company suggested a basketball theme, she decided to feature Iverson’s influence.

The homage followed comments Osaka made during a pre-tournament press conference on Saturday, where she appeared wearing a shirt featuring Iverson’s image. During that session, she described him as a trailblazer who changed how athletes approach fashion and personal expression. Although Osaka stated she had never previously spoken with Iverson, the former basketball star responded on social media on Monday, posting: “Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to meet you.”

With her victory over Zakharova, Osaka achieved her 10th victory at major tournaments this season, reaching a total she had not attained since 2019. The win also marks the first time since 2018 that Osaka has recorded at least one match victory at all four Grand Slam events within the same calendar year.

Background

The US Open is the final Grand Slam tournament of the annual professional tennis calendar, held at Flushing Meadows in New York. Naomi Osaka is a four-time major singles champion who previously won the US Open women’s singles title twice, in 2018 and 2020. The four major tournaments that make up the Grand Slam calendar are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

Allen Iverson played 14 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Philadelphia 76ers, winning the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2001. During his career, Iverson became known for integrating hip-hop culture and distinctive personal style into professional sports attire, significantly influencing athlete fashion dress codes during the late 1990s and 2000s.