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.)
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.
