The last time that Aryna Sabalenka graced the court at Arthur Ashe, her outfit became the talk of the U.S. Open mixed doubles last week. Back on the same court for the main draw, the tennis star had changed it up from the black and orange look to an all-orange one.
Sabalenka and her mixed doubles partner, Novak Djokovic, lost in that tournament. So did the Belarusian want to change up her look to try to change her luck in the main draw? Not quite.
“To be honest, I didn’t know that I have a day dress,” she explained after beginning her U.S. Open title defense with a win over Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-4. “I thought I have a black dress with orange underneath. I figured (out) when I went to Nike that I actually have day session and night session, which is just like an orange for the day.”
Asked directly if she has any superstitious tendencies when it came to her attire, she responded straight forwardly.
“No, no, I don’t believe in that stuff,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka’s orange Nike kit was covered by a black mesh top when she paired with Djokovic, causing a stir on social media. On Monday, she sported orange mesh over the same orange kit.
The look apparently drew concern from some tennis fans that the outfit, which was a basketball-inspired look that paid tribute to the Big Apple tournament, was not appropriate for the No. 1-ranked women’s tennis player.
She defended the outfit in the lead-up to the tournament, ultimately saying that people will “always complain.”
Sabalenka is looking to pick up her third straight U.S. Open title this year and will face Polina Iatcenko in the second round later this week.
While she’s got plenty of history on her side in Queens, the defending champ said she doesn’t give any credence to the past, good or bad.
“I think the good thing for me is not looking back no matter what, if it’s good or bad, because I feel a good result can also stop you from performing well because you’re basically focusing on the past, you know. So I never, like, look back,” she said. “If I win the tournament or lose the tournament, for me today is a new day and I have to be focused just staying in the moment.”
