In Melbourne, Naomi Osaka's journey through the Australian Open has intertwined bold fashion choices with contentious interactions on the court. During her Thursday night second-round match at Margaret Court Arena, Osaka secured a hard-fought victory against Sorana Cirstea, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 amidst palpable tension between the players.
The match concluded with a notably subdued handshake. Cirstea, appearing displeased, briefly looked in Osaka's direction before diverting her gaze. The uneasy exchange prompted Osaka to inquire, "What was that for?" Cirstea responded by indicating frustration with Osaka's frequent verbal expressions of encouragement to herself, which she perceived as provocative.
Osaka reflected on Cirstea's reaction: "Apparently a lot of ‘C'mons’ that she was angry about, but whatever. I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it." The emotional strain extended into Osaka's post-match interview where she expressed that Cirstea could have addressed her concerns directly during the match.
"Honestly... no one’s ever complained about it before. Also the umpire didn’t tell me I was wrong — the umpire said I was fine. Like, I thought we moved past it," Osaka stated, revealing both a desire to understand the issue and a perception that the conduct was acceptable under official guidance.
Osaka further voiced willingness to engage in dialogue to resolve any residual feelings. "I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize," she said, acknowledging that her initial statements on court might have been perceived as disrespectful. "I think the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do."
Cirstea, offering her perspective, suggested the matter had been exaggerated beyond its scope. She described the exchange as a brief, insignificant interaction that occurs between players with long-standing professional histories. "There was no drama. It was just a five-second exchange between two players that have been on tour for a long time," she explained, adding, "It stays between us."
The confrontation contrasts with Osaka's earlier distinctive entry in her tournament debut, which garnered widespread attention. In her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic, Osaka donned a striking ensemble including a wide-brimmed hat, veil, and white parasol — a look developed in collaboration with her clothing sponsor, Nike.
For the second round, Osaka opted to simplify her attire by removing the hat, veil, and parasol but retained her jellyfish-themed dress, complemented by a matching warmup jacket styled in aquatic blue and green shades and a visor. She described her fashion choices as a form of self-expression: "Just something fun I like to do on the court. I like to express myself through clothes."
Osaka acknowledged and appreciated fan engagement regarding her sartorial creativity, noting spectators who replicated her first-round accessories. "I’m really glad that you love it," she told two women sporting her hat and veil design, adding, "You guys look really cool by the way."