Over the years, Naomi Osaka has constantly grabbed attention with her fashion sense, and criticism has often followed close behind. Hence, as she walked out on the red clay in a striking black-and-gold outfit on Tuesday at the French Open, it wasn’t a surprise that it instantly grabbed the spotlight.

Osaka stepped onto Court Suzanne-Lenglen in a striking custom Nike outfit designed by Kevin Germanier for her opening-round clash against Laura Siegemund at the French Open.

Turning heads immediately, the Japanese star first appeared in an all-black look featuring a full-length pleated skirt and an embroidered jacket. But the real moment came when she revealed a shimmering gold outfit underneath, drawing loud reactions from the crowd and instantly becoming one of the biggest fashion moments of the tournament so far.

Interestingly, Osaka had already teased fans during her pre-tournament press conference, asking them to stay tuned for the reveal of her outfit, and she certainly delivered. Speaking about her latest look, the Japanese star explained that fashion is her way of communicating with fans, while also crediting Serena Williams and Venus Williams as major inspirations behind her style choices.

“I feel like fashion, for me, I don’t talk a lot, so that way I can talk through my clothes. That means I can be as loud with colors or patterns or fabric as I want. I definitely would say I’m doing something here too,” she said in the press conference. “But I think that’s the fun part. I feel like we lost that a little in tennis. I always tell people I grew up with [about] Serena’s and Venus’ grand reveals. I literally can look at a picture and probably tell you what year that outfit came from.”

Describing her fashion sense as “dramatic”, the 28-year-old feels that there are people who can relate to her flashy outfits.

“I know there are some kids or some people that are similar to me that hopefully feel that same way about my outfits. I am a little dramatic when it comes to my fashion sense,” she added.

This isn’t the first time that Osaka’s outfit has created a buzz. She had stunned the crowd at the Australian Open earlier this year by wearing an ocean-toned tie-dye warm-up jacket with soft frills and pairing it with flowing white wide-leg trousers. Over that came a pleated mini-skirt, creating a layered look that felt totally unexpected. Her look was completed with a wide-brimmed hat and a matching parasol.

Osaka’s custom Nike outfit at the Indian Wells Open had also become a major talking point. The attire included an animal-printed top and shorts, which she paired with custom jewelry pieces like ear cuffs, grills, mesh gloves, and a chainmail skirt designed by Filipino-American designer Chris Habana.

While many people have showered praise on Osaka’s outfits, others have been critical of her for focusing too much on her fashion sense and ignoring the dismal results. The fans expressed a similar sentiment towards Osaka’s outfit for the French Open.

Fans criticize Naomi Osaka on social media over Roland Garros outfit

While Osaka’s outfits did get massive attention, the opinions from tennis fans have always been mixed. A big reason behind this is the decline in her form. For context, she has an average win-loss record of 9-4 this season and hasn’t been able to reach the later stages in any tournament.

One fan remarked that while Osaka’s fashion sense may be great, her French Open outfit seems better suited for the Met Gala. “I love fashion but girl plz it’s not the Met gala and it’s too hot.”

Another fan labelled the outfit as “ridiculous” and asked Osaka to focus more on her game. “This is ridiculous. Just play tennis.”

A fan also felt that the Japanese shouldn’t be allowed to wear such attire as it reflects sunlight and can distract her opponent. “I think her outfit should not be allowed given how it is reflecting sunlight.”

Additionally, one fan compared Osaka’s outfit to an evening gown and felt that it didn’t suit her at all. “She looks ridiculous. Who wears an evening gown on a tennis court?”

Another fan simply asked Osaka to put more effort on tennis rather than trying to dress the best. “Maybe if she put the effort into her tennis?”

However, Osaka shut all her critics by putting up a solid performance in the first round of the French Open. and triumphed 6-3, 7-6 over Siegemund in two hours and three minutes. This was a much-needed boost for the 28-year-old, who had come into the tournament after suffering R16 exits in both Madrid and Rome.

Having never made it past the third round in her previous eight appearances at the Roland Garros, Osaka will be aiming to finally make it to the later stages this time around on the clay-courts of Paris.