Naomi Osaka gave fans a first look at a dazzling new colorway of her Nike GP Challenge 1 shoes as she ramps up for her return to hard-court competition at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open. The unreleased sneakers, featuring a blend of blue, gold, and pink accents, add a splash of flair to her return to the North American swing.
Naomi Osaka’s North American Swing Begins with a Wildcard Entry in D.C.
Osaka’s return to the Washington, D.C., tournament marks her first appearance at the WTA 500 event in seven years. After her underwhelming run at Wimbledon, where she reached the third round with wins over Talia Gibson and Kateřina Siniaková before falling to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a tight three-set battle, the 27-year-old is now setting her sights on the North American hard-court swing, a crucial lead-up to the US Open.
The Citi Open is scheduled for Jul. 21–27. Notably, she has received a wildcard entry for this year’s tournament, having last competed there in 2018.
The Nike GP Challenge 1 features a dual blue mesh upper accented by bold University Gold overlays and midsoles. Pops of pink appear on the laces and outsoles, adding a playful edge. What truly sets the pair apart are the iridescent Nike Swooshes on the sides, each emblazoned with Japanese characters, a nod to Osaka’s heritage, and her logo stamped on the tongue.
While Nike hasn’t released official launch details for this specific colorway, several variations of the GP Challenge 1, ranging from $145 to $170, are already available on Nike.com.
Osaka briefly showcased the new shoes in a now-deleted Instagram post, captioning the reveal with, “Hard court szn but make it cute.”
Osaka Admitted to Bottling Up Emotions After Tough Wimbledon Exit
Osaka reflected on her emotions following her third-round loss to Pavlyuchenkova at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. Unlike her disappointment after her early exit at Roland Garros, Osaka said her feelings this time were more muted.
“I think in Paris… when I sat here, I was very emotional. Now I don’t feel anything. I guess I prefer to feel nothing than everything,” she admitted.
Despite the loss, the Japanese tennis star said she gained confidence from her run on grass.
“I think my relationship with grass has improved, even though I felt I wanted to do better results-wise. I think with each tournament, I learned a little bit more,” Osaka said.
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