Naomi Osaka didn’t just play under the lights — she sparkled.
The two-time US Open champion, 27, made a racquet at her first-round appearance at the tennis tournament Tuesday night, hitting the court in an array of custom bedazzled accessories and a glittering Nike outfit.
Osaka made her grand entrance in a ponytail adorned with 14 jeweled red roses, matching headphones accented with metal rosettes and a crystal-covered Labubu doll cheekily nicknamed “Billie Jean Bling.”
Osaka’s longtime hairstylist Marty Harper styled her braids and ponytail while the blinged-out accessories came courtesy of A-Morir, the luxury eyewear and accessory line by designer Kerin Rose Gold.
Rose Gold told Page Six Style the project involved “a few thousand crystals” across the roses, headphones, and Labubu charm. The work came together in just two weeks, after Harper first approached A-Morir with the idea for the roses. The headphones followed, and the team suggested a custom “Lablingbling” charm, which Osaka immediately embraced.
Designing for a Grand Slam, however, demanded a new level of technical precision. “The crystals had to be thoroughly affixed. If anything comes off on the court, it’s a point deduction — affecting her competition, not just my reputation. A-Morir takes pride in being the best in class both in creativity and craftsmanship, so we were more than up for the challenge.”
Her Labubu even had a crystal-covered blue racquet to match her own. And for fans who want a piece of the sparkle, A-Morir now offers the limited-edition “Billie Jean Bling” charm for $696 on its website (similar charms without the custom tennis tie-in are available for $495).
The label is no stranger to statement sparkle, having created bespoke crystal-laden pieces for stars like Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, and Chappell Roan, the latter of whom rocked an A-Morir rhinestone-encrusted coat and shoes on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet.
After winning the match against Belgian opponent Greet Minnen 6-3, 6-4, Osaka told reporters she started conceptualizing the glittering look with her glam team a few weeks ago.
“I was like, ‘Do you think this is possible?’” she said. “We kind of just toss ideas around. Obviously, the outcome is way better than I could have imagined.”
Of the full outfit, which included a coral-red zip jacket, matching crystal-studded tank top, and voluminous bubble-hem skirt, she explained the design process began much earlier.
“It was really elaborate, because the crystals are really hard to do on a performance outfit,” the No. 23-seed said. “I just thought it would be really fun to do a New York under the lights. I’m glad that my first match was a night match, because this outfit was really fun to play. This is my night outfit, so hopefully I’ll wear my day outfit next time.”
She removed the waist-length ponytail for the game, playing with her hair in a braided bun.
“I did always know I was going to take the hair off, because it is really heavy,” she explained. “There were a couple of times that I played in braids, and even that was kind of borderline. So yeah, I just did it for the presentation.”
At last year’s tournament, the tennis pro leaned on bows and ruffles as nods to femininity, resilience, and her Japanese heritage, wearing two custom looks from Ambush’s Yoon Ahn, created in collaboration with Nike.
She didn’t skimp on accessories then, either, pairing the ensembles with ruffled Beats headphones and a smattering of pearls adorning her hair.
“I wouldn’t automatically associate myself with being girlish when I’m on the court, but I tend to gravitate toward really beautiful and cute things,” Osaka told The New York Times of her Harajuku-inspired ensembles. “I think there’s something quite cool in making that an emphasis, especially here in New York. In New York, the tennis court is more like a stage.”