Naomi Osaka's outfits amid privacy demand baffles Michael Stich: "Difficult to understand someone who says they don't really want that attention but then actively seeks it out"
WTASunday, 05 July 2026 at 20:08
Naomi Osaka faces Aryna Sabalenka shortly at Wimbledon and for pundits including Daniela Hantuchova, the former World No.1 is favoured to cause the upset in a match that in theory could decide the Wimbledon champion.
Osaka has been playing lights out tennis last disposing of Daria Kasatkina and reached a final also on grass recently. While Sabalenka has never won this tournament despite perhaps holding the game to do so for a considerable amount of years.
But for Hantuchova, she said that she believes that Osaka is better than Sabalenka. "I have to say, I actually think she's a little better than Aryna Sabalenka. For me, this is a match that could decide the Wimbledon champion," said Hantuchova on Prime Video.
While Mischa Zverev also chimed in that he sees Osaka as being the queen to beat, as she has the aura again after being so close to being back to her best at times but not finding the switch.
Iga Swiatek ironically, who was coached by current Osaka coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, won last year in a similar state where she was previously poor on grass, then came alive for that one week, and Osaka, in theory, could do the same.
"My feeling is she's not an easy opponent for Sabalenka. I think this is a period where Osaka can really do something special after her long break."
Osaka's self-promotion under the spotlight
But also Osaka's 'self-promotion' in donning her fancy outfits was also under the spotlight as Michael Stich said it is over the top. Especially given she has often complained about the spotlight and not wanting the attention.
This is not how it is perceived in some junctures in that she does it for herself and not the validation of other people but some have criticised it and Stich said that while it is ok to self promote, it is not ok to ask for privacy then come out with this look at me persona.
Naomi Osaka favoured.
"If she enjoys it, then that's fine. Personally, I think it's a little over the top because it's a form of self-promotion, but that's the era we're living in—we keep moving in that direction, and that's okay. It reminds me of Roger when he came out wearing that jacket with the gold RF logo and his special bag. Back then a lot of people also asked whether it was really necessary. I think those of us who think more traditionally, as I do, have to move on a little.
"With Naomi, though, I struggle with it because she was the one who spoke openly about burnout and said there was too much attention and too much media. This is the complete opposite. That's why I find it difficult to understand someone who says they don't really want that attention but then actively seeks it out. I'd actually think it would be cool if she started warming up in one of those outfits—that would really be committing to it."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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