Ranking the Top 5 Athlete Fits at the U.S. Open

Outside of the incredibly high-level play and the upsets and the locale and the delicious Honey Deuces … the next best part of the U.S. Open is the fashion. Indeed, the tennis major has become quite the scene for New York’s trendiest celebrities and A-listers, all of whom roll up to Flushing Meadows donning their chicest closet staples for the most Instagrammable fits. That fashion-forward mindset then manifests down on the court as well, as the sport’s brightest stars continue to push the boundaries of what we thought possible for athletic wear.

Although every athlete certainly looked the part—and although their stellar play is the true U.S. Open story worth following—there have still been a few outfits this year we can’t get out of our heads. (All in the women's draw, of course; as much as we love those in the men's bracket, their sartorial prowess has not yet caught up to the innovations happening on the ladies' side.)

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Ahead of the upcoming tournament finals, let's take a look at our top five athlete looks, listed below in reverse chronological order:

5. Taylor Townsend

American Taylor Townsend showed out with a few different ensembles at this year’s event (a moment for the fur coat), but her best was no doubt this two-part, black-and-orange number from a second-round match against Taylah Preston. The dress itself would have been cool on its own, but it was the fringe-covered bolero that really captured our attention.

The look was crafted by Townsend's stylist J. Bolin and designer Anthony Lattimore and, like all of her outfits for the Open, was meant to play with movement—a nod toward her constant back-and-forth on the court. Bolin also considered Townsend's fondness for flame imagery when selecting colors for the pieces, according to Marie Claire. That would certainly explain all the red and orange tones.

taylor townsend, u.s. open, tennis player — Townsend's stylist had her affinity for flame imagery in mind when creating/selecting her outfits for the Open. | Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images

4. Serena Williams

It’s hard to argue with the GOAT.

Ahead of her doubles match with sister Venus, Serena Williams warmed up in a custom, blue-and-white Nike letterman jacket emblazoned with her surname on the back and the dates of her (many) U.S. Open titles on the sleeves. It was a perfect way to remind those watching of exactly who she is, especially while inside a stadium she had conquered so many times before.

3. Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka’s monochromatic get-up looked pretty badass, if we do say so ourselves. This year, the Belarusian star has repeatedly donned an orange Nike sports bra and shorts underneath an orange mesh tennis dress, which she has then accessorized with icy rainbow jewels around her neck (she wore a similar fit, but in black, earlier in the tournament). Exactly the kind of statement you’d expect from the world. No. 1.

Aryna Sabalenka, orange tennis, tennis outfit, U.S. Open — Sabalenka wore a similar black outfit at one point, as well. | Robert Prange/Getty Images

2. Naomi Osaka

If you’re talking about the best-dressed athletes at any tennis tournament, Naomi Osaka will no doubt be a part of the conversation. It's just how it is. Ahead of her third-round tilt, the 28-year-old wowed bystanders with a warm-up sweat set that had more in common with a corporate 9-to-5 than the hard court at Arthur Ashe. The look was designed by the label Monse.

(Also, according to the Haitian Times, Osaka worked alongside celebrity stylist Law Roach—you probably know him for his collaborations with Zendaya—to plan all of her Open get-ups.)

naomi osaka, u.s. open, tennis — Osaka is known for her statement fashion choices on the court. | KENA BETANCUR / AFP via Getty Images

1. Naomi Osaka (again)

No shocker here: Osaka also had the No. 1 overall athlete fit at this year's U.S. Open thanks to the custom tapestry-style cloak she wore when arriving for her fourth-round match against Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan. The colorful piece was designed by Brooklyn-based label KidSuper.

“I felt really swaggy when I put it on,” Osaka said of the coat after the match. “I feel like it embodied New York a lot.”

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