Naomi Osaka spills beans on fearing umpire could reject her golden Nike “Eiffel Tower” like outfit at French Open 2026

Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka grabbed attention at the French Open 2026 with her shining golden Nike outfit during her opening-round win at Roland Garros. The four-time Grand Slam champion defeated Laura Siegemund 6-3, 7-6(3) in a strong first-round performance. However, after the match, Osaka revealed that she was nervous before stepping onto the court. This was because of how reflective the dress looked under sunlight.

The Japanese star explained that the outfit reminded her of the Eiffel Tower glowing at night. But the bright reflection of the dress also made her wonder if the chair umpire might ask her to change clothes during the match. Osaka admitted she carried two extra dresses with her just in case the original outfit caused any issues on court. Thankfully for the former No. 1, she was allowed to continue wearing the golden dress throughout the match.

Naomi Osaka says Nike prepared backup dresses in case officials objected

Speaking during her post-match press conference, Naomi Osaka said the golden outfit immediately stood out to her when she first saw it in person. She shared that the sparkling design reminded her of the Eiffel Tower lights at night. At the same time, she became slightly concerned because the material reflected sunlight very strongly, which made her think officials might not allow it during play.

Osaka revealed that she prepared for that possibility by carrying two extra standard Nike outfits to the tournament. She appreciated the sportswear company for making sure she had backup options ready if the umpire decided the golden dress was too distracting. Despite her concerns, the Japanese star was happy she could continue wearing the original outfit because she loved how unique and beautiful it looked on court.

The 28-year-old also said the glowing reflection gave the dress a special appearance and made it feel connected to Paris and the famous Eiffel Tower atmosphere. Her bold fashion choice quickly became one of the talking points of the opening rounds at Roland Garros.

Up next, Osaka will face Donna Vekic in the second round. Vekic defeated Alice Tubello 6-3, 6-2 in her opener. Osaka currently leads their head-to-head record 2-0. Their last meeting came in Stuttgart in 2019, where Osaka won a tight three-set quarterfinal clash 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4).

The winner of the Osaka-Vekic match will face either Emma Navarro or Iva Jovic in the third round.