"At her postmatch news conference, four-time major champion Osaka pulled her latest U.S. Open 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. Osaka's Labubus at Flushing Meadows have sported varying color schemes and nicknames, all decked out with shiny get-ups."
"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."
Naomi Osaka carried a different Labubu plush toy to each U.S. Open match and won through at least the quarterfinals. She introduced a shiny silver Labubu named Althea Glitterson, honoring Althea Gibson. Earlier Labubus included Billie Jean Bling, complete with a printed U.S. Open credential, and La-Billie-Bu modeled with red eyeglasses. Another Labubu was named Arthur Flashe after Arthur Ashe. The Labubu character was created by artist Kasing Lung and debuted in 2015 in picture books inspired by Nordic mythology. A 2019 deal with Pop Mart and later key-ring sales helped the Labubu toys spread widely.
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