Naomi Osaka is keeping pundits guessing whether she will reprise her veiled umbrella look for her Rod Laver Arena return on Saturday at Australian Open 2026.
The Japanese superstar will be back in her prime-time realm against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis in the closing match of the Day 7 night session.
Having debuted the full ensemble for her first-round triumph over Antonia Ruzic, she opted for a pared-back version of her statement walk-on outfit ahead of Thursday’s second-round victory over Sorana Cirstea.
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“My simplified look is very extra for some people,” Osaka said. “I don't know. I just felt like switching it up. I think it's kind of fun to keep everyone on the edge.
“I thought it was really pretty that there were some people [in the crowd] with veils over their hats. I was really grateful for that. For me it's kind of cool, like you never know what I'm going to pull out next.”
Back-to-back three-set victories gave the 16th seed 10 wins from 11 matches that had gone the distance at Melbourne Park.
Her opponent, the 168th-ranked Inglis, is into the third round at a major for just the second time after AO 2022, and like Osaka has done it the hard way.
Having snapped an 11-match tour-level losing streak, no woman has spent longer on court than her six hours and 21 minutes through two rounds.
Osaka holds a 1-0 record against Australians at their home Slam, with that lone win having unfolded in the opening round eight years ago.
“When is the last time I played an Aussie here? I feel like I remember playing [Ash] Barty here when we were both really young. That was my last memory,” she said.
“I mean, I think the crowd is really engaging. It should be super fun. I don't think I've played Maddison before. She's obviously in the third round, so she deserves to be here.”
Ten-time AO champion Novak Djokovic opens the Saturday night session when he meets Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp for a place in his 18th fourth round at Melbourne Park.
Victory over the world No.75 would avenge a defeat at Indian Wells last year and tie him with Roger Federer for the most wins of any player at the Australian Open in the Open era.
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A win for the fourth seed would also draw him level with Federer with a 102nd win at Melbourne Park – the most in the Open era – and make him the first player to notch 400 Grand Slam singles wins.
Even for a player with the 38-year-old’s depth of experience, there was always a need for coaching assistance.
“I think you always need at least a pair of eyes on the side of the court, if not two pairs, three pairs that know tennis, that have different expertise and they have different angles of seeing your game and seeing your opponent's game,” he said.
“I obviously know the game of tennis very well. Very often, particularly in the competitive weeks when you are under stress, emotions are not as, I'd say, at bay as they normally are in a non-competitive week, then you have to handle much more than just your tennis and how you hit your forehand.”
A stable team has been key to two-time defending men’s champion Jannik Sinner at Melbourne Park the past two years, and the Italian even paid tribute to one of his coaches, Australian Darren Cahill, as “like a second father” on his run to the third round.
Cahill will be courtside again for the second seed’s first meeting with American Eliot Spizzirri on Saturday where his charge aims for a 19th Grand Slam fourth round.
Sinner trails only Djokovic’s 20 for the most second-week showings since the start of 2020. Should the 24-year-old snag a 17th straight Australian Open match win, he would become the youngest since Jim Courier in 1994 to do so.
In the opening match at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, reigning champion Madison Keys meets former world No.1 Karolina Pliskova for just the second time.
Should the ninth seed avenge her defeat to the Czech from the 2020 Brisbane final she would level Caroline Wozniacki’s 37 match wins at Melbourne Park, the equal second-most behind Venus Williams’ 54.
The 33-year-old Pliskova has made a welcome return following a year of missed majors due to injury and has not dropped a set, including over former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the first round.