Naomi Osaka made a flamboyant entrance for her first-round match.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n
Boris Becker hit out at the “contradiction” over Naomi Osaka<\/a>‘s flamboyant entrance to the Australian Open.<\/p>\n The Japanese star walked out for her first-round match on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night wearing a jellyfish-inspired flowing green and white outfit accompanied by a white hat, veil and parasol.<\/p>\n While tennis’ big names making fashion statements is far from new, Osaka’s ensemble took things to a new level.<\/p>\n Former world No. 1 Becker, who is a pundit for TNT Sports, had mixed feelings about the look, saying: “These are, of course, images for the media.<\/p>\n “The way she entered the court is already iconic. No other player has dared to wear such an outfit.<\/p>\n “But there is also a contradiction: on the one hand, she doesn’t want to be under so much pressure, she doesn’t want to be in the public eye and in the media so much — and then she comes onto centre court in an outfit like that.<\/p>\n “Of course, that puts her back in the public spotlight. I would point out that she also needed a mental break a few years ago. For me, it’s generally important that the focus here is on the sport.”<\/p>\n Osaka was at the centre of a storm at the French Open in 2021 after announcing ahead of the tournament that she would not be doing any news conferences.<\/p>\n – Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff march on at Australian Open<\/a> She subsequently pulled out of the event after one round and only played three more tournaments that year, citing her mental health.<\/p>\n
– Madison Keys recovers to reach second round at Australian Open<\/a><\/p>\n