Why Naomi Osaka is late to arrive at the 2026 Italian Open
Post childbirth, Naomi Osaka has embraced playing on clay and does it well. Last year, “Clayomi” advanced to the Italian Open fourth round. Osaka has not been spotted in Rome practicing in the days before the main draw gets underway (officially on May 5) for the simple reason that she is not there yet.
She is arriving late for good reason, but that does not mean it won’t be a stressful week. MORE: Until Carlos Alcaraz returns, Jannik Sinner’s biggest competition is himself Where is Osaka Osaka is in New York City preparing for Met Gala 2026 which takes place Monday evening May 4. This is the event of the year where fashion, culture, and philanthropy intersect.
This year’s theme is “Costume Art,” and the dress code is “Fashion is Art. ” We have seen Osaka’s fashion creativity on the court with her Nike tennis kits and walk on court costumes so we can hardly wait to see what she wears at Met Gala where nothing is considered too elaborate or outlandish. Venus Williams is a celebrity co-chair.
Tennis players will be in attendance to support her. Besides Osaka, the others are most likely retired or not planning to play in Rome. Serena Williams co-chaired in the past, and Maria Sharapova has attended on occasion.
MORE: Katerina Siniakova injured in Madrid Open doubles win Osaka has first round bye The only reason Osaka is able to make this logistical challenge work is because she has a first round bye. First round matches span a three-day window from May 5-7. Mar 10, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) during her fourth round match against Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.