LONDON (AP) — Wimbledon’s strict rules about all-white clothing didn’t prevent Naomi Osaka from making another fashion statement as she walked onto the grass at the All England Club on Monday.Osaka, who has made a habit of creating a buzz with her creative outfits at recent Grand Slam tournaments, wore a flowing kimono with swinging sleeves and elaborate embroidery as she walked onto No. 3 Court for her first-round match against Elsa Jacquemot.After winning 6-1, 7-5, Osaka said she got the inspiration for the outfit from a Quentin Tarantino movie.“For me, my Japanese heritage means a lot. They say all white at Wimbledon and I thought it would be really cool to come out in a kimono,” Osaka said in an on-court interview. “I just get inspired by a lot of different things, and for me, one of my favorite movies is ‘Kill Bill.’ So I really love Lucy Liu’s character, O-Ren Ishii, and she comes out in this really iconic white kimono. I always tell people I like to be like a video game character sometimes, I don’t want to be myself when I’m playing on the court. And I kind of try to embody her a little.”
The Japanese player’s latest creation drew a rave reaction from the crowd, many of whom were eagerly waiting with their phones aloft to record her entrance. One female fan shouted “C’mon queen!” as Osaka walked out.
