The crowd was served more than just tennis at Naomi Osaka and Antonia Ruzic’s Australian Open first-round match.
As both players emerged from their respective entrances, Osaka drew the eyes of every single person at Rod Laver Arena as she floated out on court as though it was her personal runway.
The two-time Australian Open champion donned a show-stopping white wide-brimmed hat and long veil that obscured her face, ruffled white pants which swished and swept across the floor, and a white parasol she kept perched over one shoulder. Backlit by the bright stadium lights, Osaka was a vision in sports-inspired couture.
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“It’s modelled after a jellyfish,” she explained. “I'm just so grateful that I get to be able to do the things that I love and yeah, it's really beautiful and shout out to Robert Wun for doing this for me.”
If you looked closely, you could spot a delicate butterfly affixed to the crown of her hat and on her parasol. The butterflies were a homage to the viral moment the insect landed on her cheek during her third-round match at Australian Open 2021, of which she went on to win.
“It has to do with the Australian Open that I won in 2021, which I guess is a long time ago,” Osaka said.
The collaboration between Hong Kong-born, London-based designer Robert Wun and Nike to create this iconic look is a nod to the changing nature of tennis. Once upon a time, the Australian Open was simply a tennis tournament. Now, it’s so much more.
The Happy Slam is a cultural phenomenon, where music, dining and fashion seamlessly blend with the sport to make it the three-week sensation is it today – where crowds swell, blossoming from die-hard sports fanatics to global visitors who may not even have an interest in the sport, but are keen to experience the magic of the tournament-turned-festival.
For world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who also has been seen sporting eye-catching ensembles on court, fashion presents a rare and celebrated chance to express personality and style.
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“You know, that's why it's so beautiful that you can feel free and go and show yourself, show your personality,” she said. “I think yesterday that was a perfect fit of [Osaka’s] personality, her culture, a lot of things. That was pretty cool.”
Sabalenka herself has dabbled in the world of fashion, collaborating with luxury New York City jewellery brand Material Good to create her own atelier collection, which she debuted in her first-round match on Day 1 of Australian Open 2026.
As well as the impressive tennis she executed, it was the sparkle of precious stone jewels adorning her ears and neck that kept calling the attention of spectators.
The drop earrings featured round sapphire stones encircled by paved diamonds and matched the coin-sized sapphire pendant that swung around her neck as she played. The jewellery was the product of Sabalenka’s creativity; she sat down with Material Good to design the jewellery herself, and the end product gave her a surprising result.
“It just actually looks like the eye, protection eye,” she said. “I like to think that it's protecting me in any way.”
Osaka and Sabalenka aren’t the only players merging sport with fashion.
Andrey Rublev founded and launched his own fashion brand that does more than just produce premium quality casual streetwear; the ‘Play for Kids’ collection, which kickstarted his brand, diverts 100 per cent of its profits to a child welfare charity. The brand merges Rublev’s three passions: quality clothing, positive change and sport.
These days, tennis has drawn the hawk-eyed gaze of high fashion houses. Beyond the usual sport-brand endorsements of Nike, Fila and Adidas, we are seeing players collaborate with luxury brands, like Jack Draper with Burberry, Coco Gauff with Miu Miu, Carlos Alcaraz with Louis Vuitton, Zheng Qinwen with Dior, and Lorenzo Musetti with Bottega Veneta.
Most recently, Sabalenka celebrated a new partnership with global luxury Italian brand Gucci, who has taken in the women’s world No.1 as their latest brand ambassador. Reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner is also a Gucci ambassador.
It’s not just the players who put on a show at Australian Open 2026. Each day, thousands of visitors pour through the gates into Melbourne Park in dazzling outfits that exemplify Melbourne street-style fashion.
The best part is spotting the fun DIY tennis-inspired sets in the crowd, from tennis balls dangling from wide-brimmed hats to loud green-and-gold matching shirts and lifeguard-style uniforms.
“You know, that's really beautiful about fashion that you can express yourself in any way,” said Sabalenka. “It's pretty free world. There is no judgment. There is just, like, one [person] sees fashion in one way; other people see fashion in other way.”