Aryna Sabalenka’s US Open outfit turned into the talking point from Fan Week on Aug. 25, 2026, after she wore a fishnet dress and drew online criticism. The look replaced the match result as the main reaction driver, even though she and Novak Djokovic were on court at Arthur Ashe Stadium for mixed doubles.
Sabalenka wore the mesh dress with shorts and a sports bra, a styling choice that pushed the look into the kind of fashion debate tennis rarely gets in match coverage. Earlier this month, she drew a line between taste and approval: “I love my outfit. If someone doesn't like it, it's okay. You cannot impress everyone with your outfits.”
Arthur Ashe Stadium reaction
On Aug. 25, 2026, Sabalenka and Djokovic lost their mixed doubles match to Kateřina Siniaková and Henry Patten at Arthur Ashe Stadium during Fan Week at the 2026 US Open tennis tournament. That result mattered on court, but the outfit debate kept spreading off it, with criticism centered on the visual contrast between the mesh construction and the rest of the kit.
One critic called the look “streetwalker chic,” while another said the jewelry clashed badly with her US Open kit. A separate post dismissed it as a “clown kit.” The backlash landed around a player who had already signaled she was comfortable with that kind of reaction, not someone improvising under pressure.
Nike look and jewelry
Sabalenka said earlier this month, “That's why I like fashion because there is room for whatever, basically.” That comment gives the clearest read on the outfit: the point was not to blend in, but to use tennis as a runway for a deliberately aggressive look built around mesh, layering, and visible accessories.
The practical takeaway is simple. Sabalenka is not treating the criticism as a wardrobe malfunction or a reason to retreat from bolder Nike looks. If the next appearance keeps that same formula, the reaction will likely track the styling choices again rather than the scoreline, because the outfit has already become part of her public presentation at the US Open and not just a one-night experiment.
