Naomi Osaka made her usual fashionable entrance as she channelled former NBA superstar Allen Iverson as part of her US Open debut.
The two-time US Open champion emerged from the tunnel onto the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium wearing a long, white skirt and a hooded robe featuring newspaper clippings about her.
When she removed that to reveal her black outfit, Osaka had her hair styled in cornrows, just as Iverson did when he was the NBA MVP while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
She advanced to the second round after overcoming a stern challenge from Anastasia Zakharova to secure a 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3) victory.
“It’s my, I guess, my tribute to Iverson. I really like him a lot,” Osaka said. “I mean, Nike said basketball, so I said, ‘OK, you want basketball, I’ll give you basketball.'”
She wore a shirt with Iverson’s picture when she met with the media on the eve of the tournament and called him a “trailblazer”.
“I think he’s also someone that I look up to a lot, because he’s kind of done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not, but he’s shifted the way that NBA players dress,” Osaka said Saturday.
“I also think the whole conversation around clothes in sports and also just expressing yourself through style, I feel like he’s someone that I look up to in that regard.”
Osaka added that they’d never communicated, but Iverson posted a message for her on his Instagram page Monday, writing: “Wow, what a honor!! BIG FAN can’t wait to meet you.”
Swiatek swats aside Wang
Iga Swiatek set up a second-round meeting with Argentine Nadia Podoroska
Former champion Iga Swiatek got her campaign off to a solid start as the Polish eighth seed defeated China’s Wang Xiyu 6-2 6-3 to reach the second round.
Swiatek claimed her first title of an inconsistent year in Toronto earlier this month and followed it up with a run to the Cincinnati semi-finals, arriving in New York with a confidence boost as she bids for a seventh Grand Slam crown.
“For sure it was a good day in the office,” Swiatek said on court after her 88-minute workout.
“I felt pretty good right from the beginning and I had the energy and the intensity. I want to keep it that way. Wang was playing deep with lot of top-spin so I needed the strength.
“It’s nice to come to a Grand Slam after a couple of good results, especially because this swing is never one I’ve felt super comfortable at. I’ve made a lot of progress and I’m focused on improving the little things in my game.”
Shelton advances after shaky start
Ben Shelton recovered from a first-set stumble to defeat Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor as he seeks to become the first American man to win the US Open title since 2003
Eighth seed Ben Shelton recovered from a shaky start to beat Tallon Griekspoor 1-6 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 in the first round.
Shelton, who is looking to become the first American man to win the title since 2003, has endured a disappointing run in this year’s Grand Slams but arrived in New York with momentum after successfully defending his Canadian Open title earlier this month.
It was far from straightforward for the 23-year-old, however, as Griekspoor looked to follow up his stunning upset of top seed Alexander Zverev in Montreal.
“I started off a little bit nervous tonight, but I found my rhythm at some point through the second set,” said Shelton, who is still hunting a first Grand Slam title.
“Obviously, a lot of credit to Tallon, he’s a good player to play, he doesn’t give you a lot of rhythm. He has an attacking game style and I found things really difficult for the first set tonight.”
Wawrinka’s emotional US Open finale ends in defeat
Former champion Stan Wawrinka lost to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3) 6-0, with the 41-year-old Swiss playing his final Grand Slam tournament before retiring at the end of the season.
“It’s been 20 years since the first time I came here. It was amazing for me to feel the New York vibes throughout the years. I found the way to play my best tennis here,” Wawrinka said.
Berrettini, a semi-finalist in New York in 2019, will face Mariano Navone in the second round after the Argentine produced the tournament’s biggest upset by knocking out fourth seed Novak Djokovic in five sets on Sunday.
The US Open is live on Sky Sports from August 30. Stream tennis with no contract on NOW and the Sky Sports App. You can also watch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25-27 September live on Sky Sports.