Naomi Osaka says any criticism she receives for her extravagant outfits is “worth it” if it means “the people after me have an easier path”.

The 28-year-old is renowned for her eye-catching on-court attire, which included a hooded white gown for her first-round win against Anastasia Zakharova at the US Open.

Underneath was an all-black basketball-style kit in which Osaka played, while she also had her hair braided and wore a headband in a tribute to former NBA star Allen Iverson, who she called a “trailblazer” as “he’s kind of like done a lot in fashion, whether it’s on purpose or not”.

In her latest outfit, Japan’s four-time Grand Slam champion wore a decorated coat at the start of her last-16 US Open defeat by Elena Rybakina.

In defending her fashion statements, she referred to speaking out about her mental health in 2021 when she refused to speak to the media at the French Open and subsequently withdrew from the tournament.

Osaka, whose father is Haitian-American and mother is Japanese, also highlighted her ancestry.

“I don’t mind being the first to do something and getting trashed for it,” she wrote in a social media post.

“This happened when I talked about mental health and for some reason it’s happening with my clothes lol.

“I’m literally Haitian it’s in my blood to be this way, as long as the people after me have an easier path it’s worth it.”