Naomi Osaka Teases Her Nike Kit for Miami Open

On Tuesday evening, Aryna Sabalenka soundly defeated Naomi Osaka in straight sets during their fourth round showdown at Indian Wells: 6-2, 6-4.

Despite the tough loss, Osaka's spirit was high after the match. She deftly answered tough questions that ranged from her play to her agency to her Nike outfits.

The last question of Osaka's press conference was about her upcoming Nike kits. Will the four-time Grand Slam champion repeat her leopard outfit or debut a new look at the second stop of the Sunshine Double?

Naomi Osaka's Nike Kit for the Miami Open

Naomi Osaka's Nike tennis shoes at Indian Wells. — Naomi Osaka's Nike tennis shoes. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"It's the leopard, but we might switch it up," Osaka said with a laugh. "We might do something, and I might get in trouble with Nike. I'm not sure. But no, I think it's fun."

Osaka further explained, "But for like the swings, the kits are kind of set, you know, it's like Australia, Indian Wells, Miami, Europe. So yeah, we're just trying to make it a little more fun."

Unlike her jellyfish-inspired dress for the Australian Open, Osaka's custom leopard print kit was not released to the public. The silver lining is that fans can shop Osaka's signature collection at Nike.com.

Naomi Osaka on Loss to Aryna Sabalenka

Naomi Osaka reacts during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells. — Naomi Osaka during her loss to Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Osaka's first question of the press conference was about her overall feeling about the match, and she struck a positive note. "Yeah, I mean, it was definitely really tough, but honestly, my biggest takeaway is that I had a lot of fun. I hadn't gotten the opportunity to play on stadium one and to play against the number one player. It was really cool."

Somehow, last night's match was only the second meeting between Osaka and Sabalenka (Osaka defeated Sabalenka at the 2018 US Open). "No, it definitely felt like playing her for the first time," explained Osaka. "I think, like, obviously I could watch her on TV or whatever, but in reality, it's very different."

Osaka gave a light-hearted analysis, "I also feel like I was a little, like, flat-footed sometimes, because I expected the ball to be coming harder, but then it didn't. She grunts the same way for every ball. I was, like, 'Oh, my God, she tricked me.'"

She added, "No, it was a cool learning experience. I know we haven't played for a long time, so I hope that we can play again sometime soon."

The 2026 BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells runs through March 15. The Miami Opens runs from March 15–29. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.