Naomi Osaka blasts 'uncultured' critics of her 2026 Australian Open outfit

Naomi Osaka is among the most honest WTA players, and she showed that side again with her reaction to those who expressed disdain for her 2026 Australian Open outfit.

The most recent of Osaka's four Grand Slam titles occurred at the 2021 Australian Open. She has not reached a Major final since, but had her best run since that last triumph in Melbourne at the 2025 US Open, making the semifinal.

Osaka might be more confident of a deep run at a Grand Slam than she has been in a few years after having a full off-season with Tomasz Wiktorowski, Iga Swiatek's former coach, whose appointment before the 2025 Canadian Open instigated her improved form.

Although how she performs on the court is most important, Osaka also cares about fashion and her outfits at tournaments. That is especially true at Grand Slams, where millions watch her play.

A Sports Illustrated article reported that Nike confirmed Osaka's dress for the Australian Open. The Japanese star had previously dropped a hint for it by saying it was 'jellyfish season', and the color scheme used tracks with that.

Osaka's expected dress is predominantly blue, but has one long white strip and shades of green that look quite like seaweed. The bright colors fit with the Australian summer and the good weather usually seen at the season's opening Grand Slam.

However, some online fans did not react positively. Critics include the dress being over-designed, it being much less impressive than some of her previous iconic fits, and the colors used not suiting Osaka well.

Rather than simply not responding to those opinions, as most players do, Osaka wrote a brief but savage response on Threads. She said that 'uncultured' people cannot comprehend her outfits as others do.

The use of 'uncultured' caused controversy, since some took it to mean Osaka was calling her critics stupid. That may not have been her intention, and the former world No. 1's combative approach is appreciated in a world where trolls are rampant.

Although Naomi Osaka is capable of playing well on all surfaces, most agree that her best chance of winning a fifth Grand Slam is at the Australian Open or the US Open. Under Tomasz Wiktorowski's guidance, 2026 could be a special year for her.

Two-time Australian Open champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka starts as the women's singles favorite for this year's iteration in Melbourne. She built momentum by winning the 2026 Brisbane International, overcoming Marta Kostyuk in the final.

Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, and defending champion Madison Keys are among the other women vying for the title. Women's Majors events are more open than the men's, where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have recently dominated.