There’s a heat wave happening in the land Down Under, brought on by the parade of fired up athletes (and their hot new kits) at the 2026 Australian Open. As the official kickoff for the sport’s Grand Slam quartet, all eyes fall on Melbourne every January, but there’s more to this tournament than its blue acrylic courts: the “Happy Slam,” as its come to be called, offers a major vibe shift in the world of tennis; it’s as laidback as an eternally-vacationing Australian and historically lax about on-court outfits.
This softening of the rules (compared to the stuffy, all-white strictness of Wimbledon) has proven sartorially fertile, prompting New York Times’ top fashion critic Vannessa Friedman to call the Australian Open “the opening style salvo” of the tennis calendar a decade ago. Pile on the rabid, mouth-frothing frenzy that Challengers brought to tennis in 2024 and you have a recipe for a supercharged cultural phenomenon.
If one athlete’s viral ensemble is anything to go by (and it is, trust us), this year may go down as the moment when who wore what became just as attention-grabbing as the final score. As the athletes file into the Rod Laver Arena to fight for glory (and millions of dollars in prize money), we’ve been keeping tabs on the competitions’s best kits.
Naomi Osaka
It is not humanly possible to talk about Naomi Osaka’s first-round walkout entrance without reverting to tennis puns. Ladies and gentleman, this fit served. Designed by Nike and London-based couturier Robert Wun, the four-time grand slam champion’s custom jellyfish-inspired look coupled a pleated miniskirt and wide-legged trousers with an all-white trifecta of webbed parasol, trailing veil, and a wide-brimmed hat.
It was so clearly a moment that it immediately set off a wave of news stories and op-eds about the sport entering “a new era” for tennis fashion — propelled forward in part by Osaka’s playful style and rhinestone-encrusted Labubus. Her on-court outfit continued the aquatic theme, with Nike designing a matching zip up and racerback tennis dress in turquoise and green tie-dye with gauzy, snaking tendrils.
Ben Shelton
The Highsnobiety-approved star brought fresh energy to the court in a kinetic On Running kit, cementing him as one of the game’s most quietly captivating new talents. He powered his way to a first-match victory in his signature Court Tank Fade — the graphic and sleeveless style inspired by his blistering serve — and a lime-hued pair of THE ROGER Pro Fire tennis shoes.
Oleksandra Oliynykova
The 25-year-old Ukrainian upstart Oleksandra Oliynykova was ranked No. 278 less than a year ago, but entered her tour-level debut on an upswing despite losing to defending champion Madison Keys. She paired her Volkl Tennis racquet and sky blue Libido Active kit with a bouquet of temporary flower tattoos spread across her face. It was the ultimate sign of cheerful perseverance for the athlete, whose father is fighting the Russian occupation on the frontlines back home.
Coco Gauff
Kicking off her campaign for Australian Open glory, the young player draped herself in full periwinkle purple, sporting a New Balance tank and pleated skirt that aligned perfectly with her signature CG2 sneakers. The entire set was expertly packaged for fans, launching online as the Signature Melbourne collection to give fans the chance to match her on-court style.
Jannik Sinner
The 24-year-old Italian phenom has been the epitome of “classic cool” with his earth-toned Nike fits this year. Sinner has swatting away volleys in a yellow and clay-colored pair of Nike Zoom GP Challenge 1.5 PRM tennis shoes with the double-dose of NikeCourt’s Slam Dri-FIT polo and matching shorts in olive green. Some may say he’s single-handedly leading the condiment-core aesthetic, but winners stay winning in every Nike hue.
Alex de Minaur
Fresh off leaving a multi-year deal with Asics, Alex de Minaur pivoted straight into a hot streak with his new partnership with the heritage sporting good brand Wilson. Decked out in a head-to-toe, red-and-white kit, the Australian athlete found his footing in this year’s tournament. He advanced to the third round and survived a sudden rainstorm that suspended his second-round match — all while keeping his classic burgundy Wilson cap fixed firmly in place.
Aryna Sabalenka
How do you top an Audemars Piguet double-timepiece flex? For the four-time Grand Slam Belarusian champ, you snap the perfect selfie and hard launch an ambassadorship with the fine jewelry brand Material Good. Sabalenka paired a surf-inspired Nike kit and Piguet Double Balance watch with a custom necklace and earrings — signaling a major shift in the tennis star’s dominating presence in the luxury lifestyle sector.
