Naomi Osaka once again turned a Grand Slam entrance into one of the biggest talking points at Roland Garros after unveiling a striking custom gold Nike outfit before her first-round victory at the 2026 French Open. The Japanese star arrived on Court Suzanne-Lenglen wearing a dramatic black corset paired with a pleated cascading skirt before revealing a shimmering gold dress underneath ahead of her match against Germany’s Laura Siegemund on Tuesday. Osaka, seeded No. 16 at the tournament, later defeated Siegemund 6-3, 7-6(3) to secure her place in the second round, but much of the attention before the opening point centred around another elaborate fashion statement from the four-time Grand Slam champion. The custom outfit was designed by Swiss couturier Kevin Germanier, who is known for working extensively with upcycled materials and experimental couture designs. Osaka later confirmed on Instagram that Germanier created the look specifically for her Paris appearance, while the designer himself posted behind-the-scenes footage showing parts of the garment being cut by hand. The gold Nike dress, covered with reflective sequins, sparkled heavily under the Paris afternoon sunshine, creating an appearance many fans compared more closely to a figure skating costume than a traditional tennis outfit. Before the match began, Osaka posed for photographs while partially unzipping the black corset to reveal the glittering gold dress underneath before eventually removing the outer skirt layers ahead of the warm-up.
Osaka continues tradition of dramatic Grand Slam entrances
The 28-year-old has increasingly become known for making theatrical entrances at major tournaments, regularly combining tennis with high-fashion concepts that stand apart from traditional on-court outfits. Her French Open appearance continued a trend that has followed Osaka across several major events over the past year. Earlier this season at the Australian Open, Osaka arrived at Rod Laver Arena wearing an elaborate jellyfish-inspired outfit that featured a wide-brimmed white hat covering her face, an umbrella draped over her shoulder and flowing garments resembling tentacles. Speaking previously to Vogue about the Australian Open look, Osaka explained the concept originated after her two-year-old daughter became fascinated by a photograph of a jellyfish, prompting the tennis star to approach her design team with the idea of recreating the image through fashion. At Indian Wells earlier this year, Osaka also drew attention after arriving on court wearing tribal-inspired jewellery across her lips, ears and nose alongside a black mesh and cheetah-print Nike outfit. Her growing presence within the fashion world extended beyond tennis courts as well after she attended this year’s Met Gala wearing a white feather-covered coat designed to resemble blood before unveiling a red crystal gown styled to mimic exposed muscle and sinew during a staged “skin-shedding” performance on the entrance steps.
Osaka backs up fashion statement with straight-sets victory
Despite the heavy attention surrounding her outfit reveal, Osaka produced a composed performance on court to advance safely into the second round. The former world No. 1 controlled much of the opening set against Siegemund, striking aggressively from the baseline while producing 15 winners across the match. Osaka secured the decisive break during the sixth game of the opening set before eventually taking it 6-3. The second set proved significantly more difficult as the experienced German world No. 47 increased the pressure through longer rallies and forced Osaka into more unforced errors.
Naomi Osaka of Japan returns to Laura Siegemund of Germany during their first round women’s singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Siegemund moved into a 5-3 lead during the second set and even held a set point that would have forced the contest into a deciding third set. However, Osaka recovered strongly under pressure, fighting back to force a tie-break before regaining control to close out the match in straight sets. The victory ensured Osaka avoided an extended first-round battle while continuing her search for a deeper Roland Garros run after previously never advancing beyond the third round in Paris.
Osaka compares glittering dress to Eiffel Tower lights
Following the victory, Osaka was interviewed on court by former French tennis player Caroline Garcia, who immediately asked the Japanese star about the now widely discussed outfit, as reported by Tennis World USA. “Paris is the city of fashion. You’re a big fan of fashion… you had a fantastic dress today. Can you tell us a bit more about it?” Garcia asked during the post-match interview. Osaka responded by comparing the shimmering effect of the gold sequined outfit to one of Paris’ most recognisable landmarks. “Honestly it’s very couture. Funny enough, I feel like, you know, the Eiffel Tower at night when it’s sparkly? I kinda think I look like that a bit,” Osaka said. Her comments quickly circulated across social media alongside images of the outfit reveal, which rapidly became one of the most shared moments from the opening days of the tournament.
Donna Vekić awaits Osaka in second round
Osaka will next face Croatia’s Donna Vekić in the second round after the world No. 72 defeated France’s Alice Tubello in her opening-round match. The upcoming contest will mark the first meeting between Osaka and Vekić since 2019. Osaka previously defeated the Croatian at the 2016 Australian Open before Vekić later earned revenge during their meeting in Stuttgart three years later. With her first-round victory now complete, Osaka’s latest Roland Garros campaign has already produced headlines both for her tennis and for another high-profile fashion statement that reinforced her reputation as one of the sport’s most distinctive personalities on and off the court.
