Naomi Osaka had planned to create a final Labubu plush toy resembling herself for the U.S. Open. Her semifinal loss prevented this plan from becoming reality.“Oh, don’t make me cry, man,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said during her press conference early Friday morning after her 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3 semifinal loss to Amanda Anisimova. “Oh my God, the most devastating question.”Throughout the tournament at Flushing Meadows, Osaka carried different versions of the popular plush toy attached to her racket bag. She named them creatively, including Billie Jean Bling, Althea Glitterson, and Arthur Flashe, paying tribute to tennis legends Billie Jean King, Althea Gibson, and Arthur Ashe.For the final match, Osaka had intended to design a Labubu inspired by her previous tournament appearance. The design would have featured her green skirt from last year’s tournament, which she won in 2018 and 2020, along with a green bow on a white jacket.
“I would have had the bow, and I’m sick about it,” Osaka said. “Oh, my God, that’s like the worst thing. Honestly, I’m fine losing, but don’t ask me about this Labubu, man. Yeah, it would have been me.”
