Look of the Week: Naomi Osaka dazzles in custom Nike during Doha quarterfinal run

When Naomi Osaka bowed out of the Australian Open last month, she was left rueing her missed opportunities after a first-round defeat to Caroline Garcia. Adding to the ‘what could have been’ questions, Osaka was also just as upset for her outfit as she was for herself.

After all, Nike had created the custom look of the tournament for the two-time champion—only to leave fans wanting more following her early exit.

“I think I just have to see how the rest of my season goes. I'm a little sad 'cause this outfit's really cool and you won't see it again,” Osaka said with a wry smile at the end of her Australian Open run. “That's why I had to wear it in here.”

Fast-forward just a few weeks, and Osaka is once again turning heads for her tennis—and for her style. Tennis fans got another look at Osaka’s dreamy kit during the Middle East swing, where Osaka reached her first quarterfinal in almost two years at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open in Doha.

Osaka claimed her revenge against No. 15 Garcia, defeated Petra Martic and received a walkover from Lesia Tsurenko into the quarterfinals, where she bowed out to 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) to Karolina Pliskova.

And during each match, Osaka took the court in her custom black sleeveless dress from Melbourne—a high-neck garment with a contrasting white stripe wrapping around the waist and skirt. Inserts with iridescent snake-skin patterned ‘scales’ feature along the chest and skirt, only add to the drama.

“Yesterday I found new purpose in tomorrow. Today, I’m stronger,” Osaka shared on social media as she and Nike unveiled the look in Melbourne.

Osaka completes the look with her go-to NikeCourt Air Zoom GP Turbo Naomi Osaka shoes, which also feature a shimmery snake-like pattern along the black uppers and white contrast details. Even her black on-court Nike bag includes a hint of the snake skin look, while a gold bomber-style cropped warm-up jacket is the perfect finishing touch.

In addition to her on-court tennis kit, Osaka has also been bringing the style in her accessories, too—check out the Louis Vuitton ambassador’s subtle LV Volt earring studs, for example.

Another curious detail is the Tag Heuer Acquaracer that’s on Osaka’s left wrist—just two years after famously not being allowed to take her signature watch onto the court with her. That’s because the Acquaracer’s connected smartwatch capabilities had it initially declared a ‘communication device’ just days before the 2022 Australian Open. But the confusion must have been sorted out this year, as Osaka rocked the watch she helped design during her return to Melbourne this year, as well as through her successful stint in Doha.

The four-time Grand Slam winner has been slowly building back momentum in her return from maternity leave, after giving birth to daughter Shai in July of last year.

“I feel like since I have seen the worst that can happen, I think, everything else is a plus,” Osaka told press in Doha, reflecting on her back-to-back first-round losses in Melbourne and Abu Dhabi to Garcia and Danielle Collins, respectively. “In Australia I know that I said I was only going to play Dubai, so I feel like I have to take these tournaments as extra credit.

“Someone said to me it's like a very expensive practice, so I don't know, after they said that, I felt pretty optimistic.”

Osaka was set to use her protected ranking to compete at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, but on Thursday she announced her withdrawal. Currently ranked No. 747, Osaka will be back in action at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which kicks off on March 6.