Il Nuovo Postiglione - Osaka emerges for Melbourne opener under hat, veil and parasol

The 28-year-old former world number one from Japan is well known for her on- and off-court fashion statements.

She wore her latest outfit as she came out for her night match at centre court, Rod Laver Arena, against Croatia's Antonia Ruzic.

She waved regally to the crowd, and the four-time Grand Slam champion then folded up the parasol and neatly put the hat and veil to the side.

She conducted the pre-match formalities on court wearing part of her pleated outfit on the lower half of her body, but was back to more or less regular tennis kit for the match itself.

Almost simultaneously, Vogue magazine printed an interview with Osaka explaining the meaning behind what it called "her exoskeletal look".

"When I look back at the players who came before me, I think about how those moments -- those looks -- have become memories that live forever," Osaka was quoted as saying.

"So much of the time, other people get to write our stories for us. This felt like a moment where I could write a little bit of my own."

According to Vogue, Osaka got the idea from reading to her two-year-old daughter, Shai.

"There was an image of a jellyfish, and when I showed it to her, she got so excited," said Osaka.

The theme continued with Osaka's turquoise and green match outfit, complete with tendrils hanging from the sleeves.

Before Osaka, the legendary Serena Williams famously combined tennis with fashion.

For one of her matches, she wore a figure skater-inspired look decked out in crystals.

R.Agosti--INP