Naomi Osaka, of Japan, walks on the court with a Labubu doll hanging from her bag before playing against Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, during the women’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
A Labubu doll sits on the bench of Naomi Osaka, of Japan, during play between Osaka and Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, during the women’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Naomi Osaka, of Japan, walks on the court with a Labubu doll hanging from her bag before playing against Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, during the women’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Naomi Osaka’s last Labubu at the U.S. Open was going to be Osaka herself.
For Osaka, that was the real bummer about losing one match short of the final.
鈥淥h, don鈥檛 make me cry, man,鈥 the four-time Grand Slam champion said during her press conference early Friday morning after her . 鈥淥h my God, the most devastating question.鈥
Osaka had been toting a different version of the popular plush toy attached to her racket bag to each of her matches in Flushing Meadows. She gave them catchy names like Billie Jean Bling (for Billie Jean King), Althea Glitterson,鈥 (a tribute to ) and Arthur Flashe (as in Arthur Ashe, for whom the main U.S. Open stadium is named.)
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Had she been playing in Saturday’s final, Osaka said the Labubu would have been patterned after the green skirt she wore last year at the tournament she won in 2018 and 2020, which included a green bow over the white jacket she entered the court wearing.
鈥淚 would have had the bow, and I鈥檓 sick about it,鈥 Osaka said. 鈥淥h, my God, that鈥檚 like the worst thing. Honestly, I鈥檓 fine losing, but don鈥檛 ask me about this Labubu, man. Yeah, it would have been me.鈥
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