"I feel a little like Black Panther" - Naomi Osaka on using her outfit for 'power' against her opponents at US Open 2024
Naomi Osaka recently opened up about her 2024 US Open outfit and its importance for her during the event. She has a custom-made outfit for the tournament designed by Nike and inspired by her native Japanese attire.
Osaka is a two-time US Open champion, having won the 2018 finals against Lesia Tsurenko with a score of 6-1, 6-1. She competed against Shelby Rogers in the 2020 US Open and won the title with a score of 6-3, 6-4. She is now poised to begin her quest for the 2024 US Open, which will commence on August 27, against Jelena Ostapenko at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City.
A few days before starting her campaign, Osaka spoke about her black outfit featuring frills and bows for her nighttime matches at the Major. It features shoes to go with it which will also sport two bows at the back. The custom-made look by Nike is exclusive to her at the 2024 US Open. She also has a green counterpart designed for her daytime matches.
In a recent interview with the NY Times, Naomi Osaka opened up about her outfit and said that she feels like "Black Panther" from the Marvel fictional universe in it.
"For me, black is strength. For me, that's the super-suit color. I feel a little bit like Black Panther."
Osaka said she is also looking forward to wearing the tenis-ball-green outfit.
"I really like the color green. I feel like it gives me peace and serenity. I think colors give you power. In a way, it’s a little intimidating to my opponent. Especially with this outfit. It’s so big, maybe it’ll create a bigger presence."
Naomi Osaka reveals how her outfit can help her at the 2024 US Open
In the aforementioned interview, Naomi Osaka said that an outfit can play a role in one's situation and can help a player exude greater confidence.
"For me, an outfit can always help with something. It goes back to the confidence point. You put an outfit, it's almost like a super-suit in some ways. Then you step on the court and you imagine yourself being able to do anything."
Osaka returned to professional tennis in January after giving birth to her daughter, Shai. She has competed in various tournaments since then, such as the Brisbane International, Australian Open, Qatar Open, Miami Open, Madrid Open, French Open, and Cincinnati Open.