‘I speak through my clothes’: Naomi Osaka shines like the Eiffel Tower in glittering French Open opener

PARIS: On the biggest tennis stages, they told stories inspired by sakura, the cherry blossoms in Japanese, symbolizing beauty, renewal and the transience of life; they highlighted Harajuku, a street in Tokyo, a runway for ornaments and bows. Most talked about was the dramatic jellyfish-inspired costume she wore at the Australian Open in January, when she took to the court in a large white hat with a veil and a matching parasol.“I don’t talk much, so this way I can talk through my clothes,” said the 28-year-old Japanese at Roland Garros. “This means I can be as loud with the colors, patterns or fabric as I want.On a hot Tuesday in Paris, as temperatures topped 30 degrees for the third consecutive day at the French Open and volunteers moved around the grounds carrying 500ml water bottles priced at €3.80 (about INR 420), 17-year-old Parisian Moise Kouame stunned former world No. 3 Marin Cilic, 6-67. Simonne-Mathieu in his debut. On Court Suzanne Lenglen, sixth seed Daniil Medvedev fell in a wildly swinging match, losing 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 to Australia’s Adam Walton.Osaka walked into this environment for her opening match at Roland Garros against Germany’s Laura Siegemund. The four-time major champion arrived in a flowing black two-piece vest and skirt. After the throw, she peeled back the black, created by Kevin Germanier, a Swiss fashion designer based in Paris, to reveal a layered brown dress studded with gold sequins that flowed vertically down the fabric. Under the relentless Parisian sky, it resembled a moving chandelier.Someone in the crowd yelled, “Love your dress, Naomi!”The temperamental Siegemund, ranked 38th and 47th, struggles wherever she lands in the draw. Ten years younger, Osaka’s toughest test came in the second set when she was trailing 3-5. The 16th seed raised her level at exactly the right moment to close out a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory.At the end of the nearly two-hour contest, Lenglen seemed to reserve his loudest applause for her outfit.“I feel like the Eiffel Tower at night when it shines,” she said during an interview in court.Later, in the post-match exchange, the Japanese was asked if it was difficult to switch into match mode after such an entrance.“I really don’t feel like it’s too big of a deal for me to do it. I’ve seen where people would think I’m feeling a little stressed or something. I guess I kind of am,” she said. “I feel like Grand Slam walks are the only time I can feel like an entertainer.” Osaka is helping to restore fashion theater in sports.“I feel like we’ve lost it a little bit in tennis,” she said. “I grew up with Serena and Venus (Williams) big reveals. I can literally look at a picture and probably tell you what year the outfit is from. I’m a little dramatic when it comes to my fashion sense.” If Osaka expressed herself through her clothes, world number one Aryna Sabalenka relied on diamonds. With the black dress, Belarus wore a layered necklace, strands of garnets and diamonds, which she reduced to two.“Diamonds, I can’t really feel it, but I can imagine what it looks like from the outside,” she said, adding, “There was supposed to be a third necklace, but I was like, it’s too likely, so I decided to just keep it on two (strings).”The top seed, who reached the final here for the first time last year, pointed out: “If I feel good about what I’m wearing or how I look on the court, I tend to perform a lot better.”Sabalenka must have felt very good indeed if the 6-4, 6-2 scoreline was anything to go by.