Aryna Sabalenka has defended her viral basketball-inspired US Open kit, which did not go well with everyone. However, the player had a very solid reply as she talked about the ones who are not impressed with the outfit.
The World No. 1 has stood by her bold Nike outfit for the 2026 US Open, describing it as a fun basketball-themed design and urging critics to accept that fashion cannot please everyone.
Sabalenka defends viral basketball-inspired US Open kit: 'Cannot impress everyone’
Speaking in a press conference after her win at the Canadian Open in Toronto, the two-time defending US Open champion explained that Nike’s 2026 Grand Slam kits draw inspiration from different sports. The Australian Open looked to surfing, Roland Garros to ballet, Wimbledon to cricket, and the US Open to basketball. She said:
“I feel like I look like a basketball, so it’s very fun.”
Sabalenka revealed she had long pressed the brand for more creative and less basic designs. The kit features a black mesh layer over a vibrant orange base, which some fans have likened to a basketball net or Spider-Man. While the reveal earlier generated both praise for its boldness and criticism online, Sabalenka remained unfazed and is all praise for it.
“I love my outfit. If someone doesn’t like it, it’s okay. You cannot impress everyone with your outfits. That’s why I like fashion because there is room for whatever, basically.”
The five-time Grand Slam champion also expressed excitement about continuing to collaborate with Nike on fresher designs next year. The tennis star will head to Flushing Meadows later this month, aiming for a historic third consecutive US Open title. At the Round of 16 of the WTA Toronto, the Belarusian will face Ekaterina Alexandrova.
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