Nick Kyrgios Slams Tennis’ ‘Conservative’ Dress Code After Naomi Osaka’s Fashion Moment at Australian Open: “That’s Sh*t Thing”
Nick Kyrgios withdrew from singles and suffered a first-round exit in doubles with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
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Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka (Image via X/Matteo Zorzoli; Vogue)
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Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world, and Nick Kyrgios thinks there’s one aspect that is a “very under-utilized part” of the game- fashion. He cannot understand why, even though tennis has so many individual personalities, everyone is “scared” to showcase what they want to wear.
Kyrgios has developed a reputation for wearing his heart on his sleeve. He not only minces his words while giving opinions on various topics, but is also quite vocal about his vulnerabilities. On many occasions, he called tennis a conservative sport that doesn’t allow players to be who they are by suppressing their personality.
Excuse my language, but that’s the sh*t thing about tennis, that you’ve got so many individual personalities, and everyone kind of wears the same thing. Look at a sport like football or NBA, and they’re following the players as they walk in with the cameras, and everyone’s dressing so differently. It’s like a quick insight into someone’s personality and what their interests are.
Nick Kyrgios told CODE Sports
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist fully backed Naomi Osaka for hogging the limelight by wearing the now viral extravagant jellyfish-inspired outfit designed by her, couturier Robert Wun, and Nike during the Australian Open.
They feel like they have to be quite conservative, so, for example, what Naomi wore, it was pretty extravagant, but it’s so different, and the tennis world kind of loses it a bit. I just think it’s a very under-utilized part of tennis, and somewhere, I think we could draw a lot more fans.
Nick Kyrgios added
Osaka, after winning the first two round matches in three sets against Antonia Ruzic and Sorana Cirstea, withdrew from her third-round match against Maddison Inglis due to an abdominal injury. She has yet to win a title since winning her career’s fourth Grand Slam title at the 2021 Australian Open.
Because of his injury woes, Kyrgios chose not to play singles in his home Slam and instead featured in doubles alongside compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis, but the pair suffered a first-round exit at the hands of fellow Aussies, Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans.
Nick Kyrgios urges the ATP players to upgrade their wardrobe
Nick Kyrgios thinks players on the men’s tour need to sharpen their fashion sense. He also thinks there are players, like Carlos Alcaraz, who make fashion statements.
The women’s tour are probably more fashionable than on the men’s side, but I think there’s a couple of guys who have good fashion. I think Alcaraz can dress up pretty good.
Nick Kyrgios told CODE Sports
Kyrgios has often made headlines due to his bold outfits, often incorporating basketball-style jerseys. He infamously donned a red hat and red Jordans, breaking Wimbledon‘s strict white-dress code in 2022, and was fined for the same.
Before the Australian Open, the 30-year-old participated in the Brisbane International, where in singles he lost to Aleksandar Kovacevic. In doubles, the former World No.13 lost in the second round along with Thanasi Kokkinakis. Last year, Kyrgios played five official events, winning just one singles match, against Mackenzie McDonald in the first round of the Miami Open.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, will be playing his career’s first Australian Open semifinal. After registering a comprehensive victory over home favorite Alex de Minaur, the six-time Grand Slam champion scheduled the semifinal clash with three-time Major finalist Alexander Zverev.
The Spaniard is bidding to become the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam. He will surpass Rafael Nadal, who achieved this at the age of 24. If he defeats Sascha, he will lock horns with Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner in the title clash.
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