Naomi Osaka arrived at the 2026 US Open carrying her own headlines.
For her opening match, Osaka entered Arthur Ashe Stadium in a hooded gown covered with newspaper clippings about her career.
Underneath, her basketball-inspired outfit, cornrows, headband and arm sleeves paid tribute to NBA great Allen Iverson.
Carlos Alcaraz attracted attention for an unintended reason when his loose-fitting Nike tank top repeatedly shifted during his match, exposing part of his chest.
From acid-wash denim to Hollywood-inspired dresses, these five players showed how fashion can become part of the US Open story.
Naomi Osaka’s tribute to Allen Iverson
Osaka wore a custom hooded gown by Who Decides War featuring moments from her career. When she removed it, an all-black, basketball-inspired playing kit was revealed.
“It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” Osaka said after defeating Anastasia Zakharova 7-6(6), 7-6(3).
“Nike said basketball, so I said, ‘OK, you want basketball, I’ll give you basketball,” she explained.
Osaka called Iverson a “trailblazer” who encouraged greater self-expression through fashion in sport. Iverson responded on Instagram: “Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to meet you.”
Carlos Alcaraz’s revealing tank top
Alcaraz wore a brown sleeveless tank top from Nike’s collaboration with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack brand during his first-round match against Roman Safiullin. The top repeatedly slipped out of place, exposing part of his chest.
Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard reacted on X: “Love you Carlos, but we’ve got to put the nip away.”
Alcaraz did not address the outfit in his reported post-match remarks. He defeated Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 after more than four months away from singles competition because of a wrist injury.
Serena Williams: From catsuit to tutu
Serena Williams’ fitted black Puma catsuit became a major topic at the 2002 US Open.
“This is my new design, it’s my little cat-suit,” Williams said, adding that it made her “run faster and jump higher” and was “really sexy”.
Williams said the Lycra catsuit was designed to resemble leather from a distance. Venus Williams approved, with Serena saying her sister “really liked it”.
A 2005 academic study later examined media coverage of Williams and the outfit through the lenses of race and gender.
Williams defeated Venus 6-4, 6-3 in the final, securing her second US Open title and third consecutive Grand Slam title of 2002.
Sixteen years later, she wore a black one-shoulder Nike x Off-White dress with a tulle skirt. Designed by Virgil Abloh, it belonged to Nike’s “Queen” collection.
Shortly before the match, French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli said Williams’ 2018 French Open catsuit would no longer be accepted at the tournament. Billie Jean King criticised the decision, saying the “policing of women’s bodies must end”.
“It’s kind of aerodynamic with the one arm free. It feels really good,” Williams said of the tutu. She defeated Magda Linette 6-4, 6-0.
André Agassi brings denim to the court
At the 1988 US Open, André Agassi wore short, acid-wash denim shorts made by Nike. Combined with his long hair, they contrasted with traditional tennis clothing. GQ later compared Agassi to the “Axl Rose of tennis” and credited him with pushing the sport beyond its conservative traditions. Decades later, Agassi ranked the shorts second among his three favourite career looks.
Agassi reached the semifinals that year, where he lost to Ivan Lendl 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
Maria Sharapova channels Audrey Hepburn
Maria Sharapova brought Hollywood glamour to the 2006 US Open with a black Nike dress featuring a crystal-embellished collar, inspired by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
“The whole inspiration for the night dress was Audrey Hepburn,” Sharapova said, describing it as “classy” and “elegant”.
It was reportedly the first tennis outfit designed specifically for play under the lights. Nike designer Natalie Candrian said the team wanted to capture the atmosphere of US Open night matches and surprise the crowd.
Sharapova defeated Justine Henin 6-4, 6-4 in the final to claim her first US Open title.
At the US Open, results decide who advances, but sometimes an outfit is remembered long after match point.