NEW DELHI: Naomi Osaka made a bold statement at the 2026 US Open, combining tennis with basketball-inspired fashion as she stepped onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first-round match against Anastasia Zakharova.She arrived wearing a long white skirt and a gray hooded robe covered with newspaper-style clippings. Underneath, she wore a black outfit, while her hair was styled in cornrows beneath a headband, a look strongly associated with NBA legend Allen Iverson during his Philadelphia 76ers days.The four-time Grand Slam champion explained that her outfit was a personal tribute to Iverson, whom she has long admired for influencing sports fashion.

“It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” Osaka said after her 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3) win. “I mean, Nike said basketball, so I said, ‘OK, you want basketball, I’ll give you basketball.’”Osaka had already spoken about Iverson before the tournament, calling him a trailblazer who changed how NBA players approached fashion and self-expression.

“I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s kind done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not, but he’s shifted the way that NBA players dress,” Osaka said Saturday.

“I also think the whole conversation around clothes in sports and also just expressing yourself through style, I feel like he’s someone that I look up to in that regard.”Watch:

Iverson, who had never communicated with Osaka before, responded to her tribute on Instagram: “Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to meet you.”

Osaka survives tough opener

On court, Osaka had to work hard for her victory. She led 5-2 in the first set and 5-3 in the second, but Zakharova fought back both times to force tiebreaks. Osaka eventually won both and secured her place in the second round.The victory marked her 79th Grand Slam match win and her 29th opening-round victory at a major. She will next face Czech player Katerina Siniakova, against whom she holds a 2-1 career record.