Naomi Osaka recently sent a blunt message to her critics. After her heartbreaking US Open loss, the tennis star addressed the backlash over her outfits and made it clear that she doesn’t care about the naysayers.
In 2026, Osaka brought her fashion to the forefront during Grand Slam matches, walking out in elaborate outfits that caused plenty of conversations amongst fans. At the US Open, the 28-year-old’s walk-on looks were heavily criticised by some fans after her straight-sets loss to Elena Rybakina, with many viewers expressing the opinion that her fashion detracted from her tennis.
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Recently, in a post on Instagram Threads, Naomi Osaka addressed the backlash over her outfit choices, writing,
“You know…I don’t give a f**k if you don’t like me. I don’t mind being the first to do something and getting trashed for it. This happened when I talked about mental health and for some reason it’s happening with my clothes lol. I’m literally Haitian. It’s in my blood to be this way; as long as the people after me have an easier path it’s worth it.”
While Osaka has received copious amounts of criticism for her unique walk-on looks, the Japanese star has also managed to earn praise from fans who enjoy her bold choices.
Naomi Osaka shares her honest reflections on her US Open loss
Naomi Osaka was most recently seen in action at the US Open. The former champion kicked off her time at the event with a hard-fought win over Anastasia Zakharova, before going on to outdo Katerina Siniakova in a three-set battle. For her third round encounter, the 13th seed ousted Elise Mertens 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, but her time in New York came to an end in the round of 16 after she lost to second seed Elena Rybakina.
Reflecting on her US Open exit, Osaka highlighted her mental approach to losses, saying in her press conference,
“I think I’m happy I’m taking losses differently. I’m trying to learn from them a lot more. Today if I was to say I’m sad, I was sad that I couldn’t push off on my foot. I’m sad I couldn’t do what I set out to do. But for me, if I think about my life, my daughter is healthy. Everyone in my family is great. I had an opportunity to play this Slam. I got as far as I could. It’s only up from here I guess.”
Overall, Naomi Osaka has enjoyed several strong performances in Grand Slam events this season. The former World No. 1 began her year at the Australian Open, where she made it to the third round before withdrawing due to an injury. Osaka then went on to register a round of 16 appearance at the French Open and a quarterfinal finish at Wimbledon.
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Edited by Riddhi Acharya