World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has become the center of a US Open fashion firestorm after stepping onto Arthur Ashe Stadium in a bold, basketball-inspired Nike look — an orange base layered with a black mesh overlay — that instantly split tennis fans online, per Yahoo Sports.

Critics flooded social media comparing the fishnet-style paneling to "streetwalker chic," with fan reaction largely declaring it the tournament's most-mocked outfit since Sabalenka's canary-yellow dress drew similar jokes a year earlier — before she went on to win the title anyway. Others defended the design as fashion-forward and bold.

Sabalenka pushed back on the criticism directly, telling reporters, "I love basically everything about my outfit. I love that it's different. I love that it's bold," according to The Spun. Fellow Nike athlete Naomi Osaka's black-and-gray US Open kit drew its own mixed reviews the same week, adding to a broader debate about the brand's 2026 tournament designs.

Sabalenka, the two-time defending US Open champion, continues her title defense as the tournament rolls on in Queens.