The Bowification of Tennis Has Officially Begun, Thanks to Naomi Osaka

She's single-handedly making the trend feel fresh.

Naomi Osaka plays her second match at the 2024 us tennis open wearing pearls in her hair and bows on her outfit
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For most of history, professional athletes have dressed for utility over style—fabrics are chosen for their sweat-wicking abilities and silhouettes are chosen for the purpose of aerodynamics and mobility. And while all of this still remains true, in recent years, fashion has taken center stage (or court, more accurately).

Pre-basketball game tunnel walks have become a fashion show and Formula 1 stars are now considered style icons. Tennis, too, has become a sartorial spectacle, with A-list celebs wearing their best "old money" outfits to sit in box seats and star athletes—like Serena Williams, most notably—taking to the court in designed looks, over cookie-cutter workout gear.

This season, one such stand-out is four-time Grand Slam singles champion, Naomi Osaka. Thus far, the athlete has competed twice in the 2024 US Open and both times, her outfits were undeniable serves. For her first match, on Aug. 27, Osaka wore a brat green tennis dress covered in ruffles, a custom-made creation from AMBUSH designer Yoon Ahn.

Naomi Osaka wears a brat green tennis dress with ruffles on Day 2 of the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2024 in New York City

Naomi Osaka wears a 'brat' green tennis dress with ruffles on Day 2 of the US Open.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Offering fashion for the sake of fashion, Osaka's first 'fit featured a heavy helping of embellishments, in the form of statement bows: one at the waist, one on her jacket, and one on each sneaker.

Naomi Osaka wears a brat green tennis dress with ruffles on Day 2 of the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2024 in New York City

Naomi Osaka shows of bedazzled headphones topped with bows.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

For her second appearance, Osaka wore a similar look, this time in all-black. She wore the same ruffled one-piece, paired with a matching noir visor and windbreaker. This look went even heavier on the feminine details, with bows on her outfit and pearls in her braided hair.

Naomi Osaka wears a black nike tennis set with white statement bows

Her black tennis set was covered in white statement bows.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Naomi Osaka wears a black nike tennis set with pearls in her hair

The tennis pro affixed bows to her braided hair.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The bow trend has become so popular over the last year, that fashion, as a whole, has reached a saturation point. Some have grown wary of the Great Bowification, but Osaka's sportswear has given the "coquette" staple new life.

Catch me wearing bows for the foreseeable future.

Kelsey Stiegman
Contributor

Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer, specializing in e-commerce and celebrity style content. With more than nine years of experience in digital media, Kelsey has a knack for turning top-performing content into top-selling content. Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage and launched a successful luxury handbag series called Secure The Bag. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen, during which she managed the team’s fashion and beauty verticals and led e-commerce strategy. In addition to writing and editing, Kelsey also offers freelance creative consulting services, as well as content creation. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.