Australian Open Fashion Parade: The 6 Best On-Court Outfits of the Tournament

The Australian Open brings with it fantastic tennis and fabulous fashion. As a lifelong Melbournian and tennis fan, the Australian Open is without a doubt one of my personal highlights of the year. Every tournament, the city of Melbourne comes alive, with locals and international fans alike flooding Melbourne Park and its surrounding bars, cafes and restaurants.

There’s nothing more exciting than when, after slapping on some sunscreen and doing your best to avoid the glaring sun and scorching heat Melbourne brings in January, the players finally walk out onto the court. And while actually watching the matches is the obvious highlight, the fashion often steals the show.

As the first major tennis tournament of the year, the Australian Open sets the tone for the rest of the year. What’s more, it’s where some of the most iconic tennis matches in history have taken place. For many players, the Happy Slam is a chance to really put their pre-season training to the test. For fans, it’s a chance to gauge which of their favourites are in good form heading into the rest of the year.

From a fashion standpoint, however, the Australian Open also marks a special time. It’s when major sporting brands, such as Nike and Adidas, roll out new outfits. While each brand will have its general design rollout, particular high-profile players will also have their own custom designs.

At the Australian Open this year, some of the biggest stars are serving aces on the court and serving fabulous outfits. With this in mind, I’ve rounded up my six favourite looks from this year.

6. Alexander Zverev

In a year when fluorescent outfits dominated the Australian Open, Alexander Zverev opted to do the exact opposite. Throughout the tournament, Zverev was sporting classic black shorts (with a fabulous orange highlight underneath) and alternating between a clean white or black short-sleeve top. 

Sponsor Adidas did manage to sprinkle in a pop of colour to the outfit, with a bright orange bandana keeping his hair in place.

I was lucky enough to watch Zverev play his second-round match this year, and it was then that I really fell in love with this look. 

5. Taylor Fritz

There’s been a big shake-up in recent years in men’s tennis attire. While the focus has typically been on the women, many high-profile men’s brands are beginning to leap into the world of tennis. One such iconic men’s fashion brand to dive into tennis is Hugo Boss. 

Currently, Italian star Matteo Berrettini and American player Taylor Fritz both serve as global brand ambassadors for BOSS (a Hugo Boss brand). With Berrettini pulling out of the Australian Open just days before his first match, Fritz was left as the only major player to sport the BOSS brand this year.

Taylor Fritz had a fantastic run during the tournament, taking down the likes of Stan Wawrinka before bowing out in the fourth round. His black-and-green BOSS outfit was simple, sleek, and, without a doubt, a standout look across the whole men’s draw.

4. Lorenzo Musseti 

Light blue was a big hit at the Australian Open this year, with a plethora of men’s and women’s stars sporting the colour. However, none did it better than Italian hotshot Lorenzo Musseti.

Sponsor Asics crafted a fantastic, complete look for Musseti at the Australian Open this year. From the light blue bandana and matching top (with a fabulous touch of darker blue streaking at the bottom) to the navy shorts, Musseti looked like a true star anytime he stepped onto the court.

However, the piece of clothing that really brought the outfit together was Musseti’s compression arm sleeve. The ombre design was a clever and unique pop of colour and a great example of how to make practicality an effective fashion statement.

3. Carlos Alcaraz 

Speaking of flashy outfits, the number one seed Carlos Alcaraz made sure all eyes were on him anytime he arrived on court.

While blue and orange were the primary colours of the Australian Open this year, Alcaraz opted for fluorescent green and boy, was it a great look.

From his sleeveless top right down to his custom-made shoes, sponsor Nike knew exactly what they were doing when they created this look for Alcaraz to wear at the Australian Open this year. 

Dishonourable Mention: Jannik Sinner

Before we get to my two favourite player outfits of the tournament, I wanted to highlight one really disappointing outfit. Jannik Sinner may be a tennis champion, and one that will very likely continue his dominating form of recent years, but his fashion choices have at times missed the mark. None more so than this year’s Australian Open, however. 

The mustard yellow and olive green colour palette was not only very muted compared to the fluorescent hues most other players opted for, but, if I’m being honest, it’s not a great colour combination, period. 

I don’t know what Nike was thinking with this one.

2. Francis Tiafoe

Francis Tiafoe has quickly cemented himself as one of the most prominent personalities on the men’s tennis tour. The athlete showman often draws huge crowds to his matches and makes sure he looks his best when hitting winners in front of his adoring fans.

Never one to disappoint with his outfits, Tiafoe was the best-dressed male player at the Australian Open. Working in collaboration with his sponsor, Lululemon, his on-court look formed part of an exclusive collection, one that Tiafoe was actively involved in bringing to life. 

What’s more, the bespoke design has a very touching, meaningful backstory, as it pays homage to his family’s Sierra Leonean roots and heritage.

1. Naomi Osaka

While every other entry on this list is about the fantastic fashion displayed in the men’s draw, it’d be remiss of me to outline the best looks of the tournament without including this tennis and fashion star.

Naomi Osaka is an icon when it comes to her on-court outfits, developing a strong reputation that has audiences eagerly anticipating her next on-court look. While her run at the Australian Open was unfortunately cut short this year due to injury, one of the most talked-about moments from the whole tournament was when she made her entrance during the first round. 

The intricately designed dress and tasseled jacket are amazing. However, it’s the showstopping butterfly-adorned hat and umbrella that Osaka’s look at the 2026 Australian Open will go down in history.

As Pat Rafter told Man of Many earlier in the tournament, it’s not for everyone, but it gets a big thumbs up from me.