Naomi Osaka defeated World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Round of 16 at Wimbledon on July 5, 2026.
She also made headlines with her stylish kimono-inspired outfit.

What happened?

Osaka's kimono was inspired by one of the Big 3 of anime, Tite Kubo’s Bleach.

Why it matters for Naomi Osaka

She feels like she's channeling a character from Bleach whenever she wears the kimono.

Osaka was born in Osaka, Japan, and was raised between the cultures of Haitian, Japanese, and American.

What comes next?

Osaka will face World No. 9 Karolina Muchova in the quarter-final matchup.

Muchova's game has always flourished on grass, with her variety and change of pace giving her an edge.

Osaka will look to take the lead against Muchova to match last year’s semi-final run at the US Open.

The record is tied 3-3 in head-to-head between Osaka and Muchova.

Osaka's life is shaped by the worlds of anime and gaming, and she has specific tastes in them.

She prefers the original Naruto series over the more popular Shippuden as her comfort show.

Osaka relates most to the character of Shikamaru and his quiet power.

She is planning to take a more low-key approach heading into the business end of the tournament.

Osaka's Wimbledon fashion shows followed the Eiffel Tower-themed outfit she wore at the French Open.

She also wore a jellyfish-related dress at the Australian Open.

Osaka will need to be in full focus for her quarter-final matchup against Muchova.

The Japanese international was forced to retire with an ankle injury in her previous match against Muchova.

Beating the World No. 1 certainly gives Osaka a mental advantage against her opponent.

Osaka is ranked World No. 14 and is looking to make a deep run in the tournament.

She will face a tough test against Muchova, but is confident in her abilities.

The quarter-final matchup between Osaka and Muchova is highly anticipated.

It will be a closely contested match, with both players looking to advance to the semi-finals.

Osaka's fans are excited to see her in action, and are hoping for a strong performance.

The match is scheduled to take place on July 7, 2026.

Osaka is ready for the challenge, and is looking to make a statement.

She is focused on her game, and is not letting anything distract her.

The crowd will be cheering her on, and she is looking to feed off their energy.

It will be a great match, and one that fans will not want to miss.