'Not allowed': Naomi Osaka ban comes to light after Australian Open
Details have emerged after the Australian Open about how Naomi Osaka was banned from wearing a new watch from sponsors TAG Heuer.
Osaka teamed up with Tag Heuer just weeks before the Australian Open, designing a limited-edition watch with the Swiss luxury brand.
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The tennis star helped design the 'Aquaracer' watch that can be worn both on and off the court.
However Tennis Australia officials reportedly had to step in when Osaka wanted to wear it at Melbourne Park.
Players aren't allowed to wear 'smart watches' during matches because they can technically be used to communicate with coaches or anyone else not on the court.
Because of the Aquaracer's 'smart watch' capabilities, it was deemed a no-go by Australian Open officials.
Fans were surprised to see Osaka not wearing the new timepiece just days after unveiling it on social media.
She still wore a TAG Heuer piece, but one that wasn't connected to the outside world.
“We tried, but she cannot wear any connected watch while playing professionally, because players aren’t allowed to communicate with others off the court during a match," TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault said in an interview last week.
"And this would be considered a communication device."
Tennis is one of the few sports that doesn't allow coaching during matches.
Stefanos Tsitsipas was hit with a code violation during his semi-final clash with Daniil Medvedev when it was deemed that his father was coaching from the stands.
Naomi Osaka banned from wearing new watch on court
Osaka's new watch is priced at US$3950, with only 250 pieces available to buy throughout the United States, Japan and Australia.
The striking green colour of the watch is designed to represent Osaka's love of tennis and resemble a freshly-popped can of balls.
It also features Osaka's official logo - a bear holding a flower, which is supposed to represent strength and femininity.
"It was such an incredible experience collaborating with TAG Heuer on the design of my new limited edition watch," the Japanese star wrote on social media.
"I think the green colours are so elegant and in a way reflect two of my current passions - tennis and nature.
"I'm so happy with how it turned out."
The four-time grand slam champion crashed out of the Australian Open in the third round, suffering a shock loss to Amanda Anisimova.
She has since fallen to World No.85 in the rankings because she was defending a huge haul of points earned by winning the event in 2021.
Osaka spent most of the second half of 2021 on the sidelines after taking a break from the sport to protect her mental health, another factor that resulted in her staggering rankings slide.
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