Naomi Osaka tones down her walk-on outfit. Turns up the heat at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Fashion and friction have been the defining features for Naomi Osaka in two rounds at the Australian Open that couldn't have been more different.

Osaka fended off Sorana Cirstea in a tense 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at Margaret Court Arena on Thursday night. Cirstea's parting shot was at the net.

The pair barely exchanged a handshake over the net, with Cirstea glancing in Osaka’s direction briefly and then turning her head away.

As they walked toward the umpire’s chair, Osaka asked, “What was that for?”

Cirstea responded directly to the two-time Australian Open winner, upset with Osaka's efforts to pump herself up at stages during the match.

“Apparently a lot of ‘C’mons’ that she was angry about," Osaka said, “but whatever. I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it."

Osaka got emotional in her on-court interview when asked to clarify why the tension heightened with the 35-year-old Romanian, saying, “She could have asked me (to stop).”

“Honestly ... no one’s ever complained about it before. Also the umpire didn’t tell me I was wrong — the umpire said I was fine. Like, I thought we moved past it."

She said she was open to talking it over with Cirstea.

“I guess that emotions were very high for her. I also want to apologize,” Osaka said. “I think the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do.”

Cirstea said the issue was blown out of proportion and she'd prefer to reflect on her decades of experience at the Australian Open.

“There was no drama. It was just a five-second exchange between two players that have been on tour for a long time,” she said. “It stays between us.”

The tense finish was in stark contrast to Osaka's grand entrance that went viral two days earlier for her first-round win over Antonia Ruzic. Osaka walked onto the court wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol — a design she said her clothing sponsor, Nike, let her create.

For the second round, she dispensed with the couture hat, veil and parasol but was still wearing the jellyfish-inspired dress, a matching warmup jacket in the same blue and green aquatic hues, and a visor.

“Just something fun I like to do on the court. I like to express myself through clothes,” Osaka said of her prematch walk-on designs.

“I’m really glad that you love it,” she added, looking up at two women in the crowd who had replicas of the wide-brim hat and veil that Osaka wore for her walk-on in the previous match. “You guys look really cool by the way.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after defeating Sorana Cirstea of Romania in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Naomi Osaka, right, of Japan talks with Sorana Cirstea, left, of Romania following their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a forehand return to Sorana Cirstea of Romania during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Naomi Osaka of Japan leaves the court after defeating Antonia Ruzic of Croatia in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after defeating Antonia Ruzic of Croatia in her first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Naomi Osaka of Japan walks onto court for her second round match against Sorana Cirstea of Romaniaat the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Evangelista scored the only goal of the shootout in the eighth round, and the Nashville Predators tightened the Western Conference playoff race with a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

Nashville, Los Angeles and San Jose are now even with 79 points apiece for the second wild-card playoff spot in the West, but the Sharks — who beat Toronto 4-1 earlier Thursday — have a game in hand.

Steven Stamkos scored his 37th goal and Jonathan Marchessault ended his 14-game goal drought for the Preds, who snapped their three-game skid despite blowing a three-goal lead. Filip Forsberg and Zachary L’Heureux also scored.

Juuse Saros stopped 29 shots before turning in a perfect eight-round shootout for Nashville.

The first 15 skaters in the shootout all failed to score before Evangelista ended it with a deke and a backhand for his first shootout goal of the season.

Adrian Kempe scored two goals and Joel Armia tied it midway through the third period for the Kings, who have lost six of eight with their season in the balance.

Scott Laughton also scored, and Darcy Kuemper rebounded from a rough beginning to make 31 saves before a strong shootout.

Before the game, the Kings honored retiring captain Anze Kopitar with a ceremony recognizing his 20-year career. The Slovenian center set the team's career scoring record last month.

Forsberg then scored his 35th goal for Nashville in the opening minute on a stoppable shot, and L’Heureux scored moments later when Kuemper was caught out of his crease.

Kuemper even gave a penalty shot to Nashville late in the first by throwing his stick at the puck, but Ryan O'Reilly couldn't convert. Marchessault got his 12th goal — his first in exactly a month — early in the second.

Kempe finally got the Kings going when Artemi Panarin's 51st assist deflected in off his skate, but Stamkos scored just over two minutes later. After Kempe scored again to secure the fourth 30-goal season of his career, Laughton scored moments later on a rebound.

Armia finally tied it when he drove the net and tapped in Jared Wright's rebound for his 11th goal.

Predators: At San Jose on Saturday night.

Kings: Host Toronto on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) is congratulated at the bench after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game, against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby, left, and Los Angeles Kings right wing Alex Laferriere battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Nashville Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague (41) looks on as Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin (10) takes a shot on goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Los Angeles Kings right wing Taylor Ward (52) handles the puck away from Nashville Predators center Fedor Svechkov (40) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Linesman CJ Murray (68) drops the puck as Los Angeles Kings right wing Alex Laferriere (14) and Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula face off during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)