2 min readUpdated: Jun 30, 2026 06:59 AM IST
Well before Naomi Osaka had served a ball in her first round clash against Elsa Jacquemot at Wimbledon, the four-time Grand Slam champion made a statement by wearing a flowing white kimono as she walked onto No. 3 Court for her first-round match. The colour of the robe ensured she did not fall afoul of Wimbledon’s strict all-white dress code that is unyielding.
Osaka said that the pristine white outfit, which had swinging sleeves and elaborate embroidery, was inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s Hollywood blockbuster Kill Bill.
After she had defeated Jacquemot 6-1, 7-5, she explained her choice of attire for the pre-game walkout.
“For me, my Japanese heritage means a lot. They say all white at Wimbledon and I thought it would be really cool to come out in a kimono,” Osaka said in her on-court interview. “I just get inspired by a lot of different things, and for me, one of my favorite movies is ‘Kill Bill.’ So I really love Lucy Liu’s character, O-Ren Ishii, and she comes out in this really iconic white kimono. I always tell people I like to be like a video game character sometimes, I don’t want to be myself when I’m playing on the court. And I kind of try to embody her a little.”
When Osaka walked out for the game, a female voice from the stands was heard shouting “C’mon queen!”
Osaka kept the robe on at the net while listening to the chair umpire’s instructions before removing it and leaving it on her chair before she started warming up.
Osaka revealed the reactions she got from fans and others before she arrived at Court 3 for the match.
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“I could feel when I walked by someone, they would physically turn their whole body. I thought that was really fun,” Osaka said.
“I got asked (by players) if I only have one, because it’s all white, and what happens if I stain it,” Osaka said.
(With inputs from AP)