Naomi Osaka is bringing the Labubu fad to the U.S. Open.
Osaka has played five matches at the Grand Slam tennis tournament so far this year, each time toting a different version of the popular plush toy attached to her racket bag. And she’s won each time, too, eliminating No. 11 Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Wednesday night and Coco Gauff on Monday.
Most recently she introduced fans to Andre Swagassi after tennis player Andre Agassi.
Earlier this week at her postmatch news conference, Osaka pulled out another Labubu – a shiny, silver one – from the pocket of her black jacket and introduced the creature to reporters, saying, “Her name is Althea Glitterson,” a tribute to Althea Gibson, the tennis champion who broke the sport’s color barrier 75 years ago.
A Labubu doll sits near Naomi Osaka, of Japan, before her match against Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships.
AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
Osaka’s Labubus at Flushing Meadows have sported varying color schemes and nicknames, all decked out with shiny get-ups.
She brought one she called Billie Jean Bling – a la tennis great Billie Jean King, get it? – to the court for the first round.
That one even has an official U.S. Open credential to prove it, replete with a photo, identifying Ms. Bling as a player guest with full access to player dining. (The U.S. Tennis Association confirmed that it provided the printed pass but noted that it won’t work with the scanning machines security guards have at entrances.)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, celebrates after winning a match against Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships.
AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
There also was a second one modeled after King, even sporting the Hall of Famer’s trademark red eyeglasses, known as La-Billie-Bu. Another was named Arthur Flashe – as in Arthur Ashe, for whom the main U.S. Open stadium is named.
The Labubu, with its pointed ears and pointy teeth, was created by artist and illustrator Kasing Lung and made its debut in 2015 via three picture books inspired by Nordic mythology.
In 2019, Lung made a deal with Pop Mart, a company that caters to toy connoisseurs and influencers, to sell the figurines. Four years later, when Pop Mart began selling Labubus on key rings, the toothy monsters began to be seen everywhere – and the phenomenon really has taken off lately.
Coverage of the women’s semifinals begins at 7 p.m. Thursday on ESPN.
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