Wimbledon: Osaka storms into third round as kimono-inspired obi steals the spotlight

London: Naomi Osaka continued her impressive run at Wimbledon 2026 with a commanding straight-sets victory over Anastasia Gasanova before once again making a statement away from the tennis as her Japanese-inspired outfit drew attention at the All England Club. The four-time Grand Slam champion defeated the qualifier 6-3, 6-2 on Court 2 on Wednesday to secure her place in the third round

The contest never drifted away from Osaka’s control. Playing the first tour-level match of her career against Gasanova, the Japanese star imposed herself from the opening exchanges with powerful serving and clean ball-striking, ensuring her opponent rarely found an opportunity to shift momentum.

Osaka’s delivery proved to be the defining weapon of the afternoon. She struck eight aces and won 76 per cent of points behind her first serve, consistently earning free points and preventing Gasanova from building any pressure during service games.

The Russian, ranked No. 225 in the world, arrived in the second round after advancing through qualifying and defeating Emiliana Arango in her opening match. However, the momentum she carried into the contest disappeared against Osaka’s precision. Gasanova managed to win just 11 return points throughout the match and never created a single break-point opportunity.

Osaka, meanwhile, made her chances count. She converted three of her six break points and comfortably closed out the encounter in straight sets to follow up her opening-round victory over Elsa Jacquemot.

The performance further underlined Osaka’s growing comfort on grass after reaching the final in Bad Homburg last week. Although she withdrew from that title match as a precaution, prompting questions over her fitness ahead of Wimbledon, the former world No. 1 has shown no visible signs of discomfort during her opening two matches.

Away from the tennis, Osaka continued one of the tournament’s most distinctive fashion stories by once again incorporating elements of traditional Japanese culture into her Wimbledon attire.

Having introduced a kimono-inspired look earlier in the tournament, Osaka returned to Court 2 wearing a flowing white obi, the wide sash traditionally worn with a kimono. While she did not wear the complete outfit this time, she retained the obi as the defining feature of her appearance.

The accessory carries deep cultural significance in Japan and is also associated with martial arts such as judo, where the belt represents discipline and progression. Its inclusion in Osaka’s Wimbledon attire also evokes the traditions of the samurai, whose carefully designed clothing and armour reflected identity, status and composure before battle.

Osaka incorporated the obi into her all-white outfit as a nod to her Japanese roots, all while adhering to Wimbledon’s all-white dress code.

Before the tournament began, the 27-year-old had explained the inspiration behind her on-court look.

“My Japanese heritage means a lot to me… so I thought it would be cool to come out in a kimono,” Osaka had said during her pre-tournament press conference on Sunday.

IANS