Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios turn to pickleball at Desert Smash, popstar Jason Derulo joins them in star studded event
ATP
Former women’s world number one Naomi Osaka and Australia’s Nick
Kyrgios recently featured in a charity pickleball event. Pickleball, which is
the newest format in the sport, has gained popularity amongst the masses due to its
easier access.
Former women’s world number one Osaka and Kyrgios recently
featured in a charity pickleball event — the Desert Smash. The two were joined by
pop star Jason Derulo as well. Kyrgios was quoted in a report where he spoke
about how different pickleball is compared to tennis. “Pickleball is a lot
different from tennis and you can already see him [his partner Derulo] at the
net,” he said.
He further went on to praise the pop star’s reflexes by stating:
“He has the reflexes, he knows the game, he just needs to work on his serve a
little bit.” Derulo, talking after the match, accepted that he still has a lot to
work on as far as his service is concerned. “You guys laughed at my serve,” he
said. “That was crazy. But the best part was I was like ‘I don’t understand why
they are laughing.'”
Both Osaka and Kyrgios are currently recovering from a
fitness concern. Osaka’s last appearance was in the Australian Open, where she was forced to retire from a third-round clash against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic. The final score of the match was 7-6. She is now set to return to the court at
the Indian Wells, where she will face Camila Osorio in the competition's opening round.
On the other hand, Kyrgios’s last appearance was also at the Australian Open, where he was knocked out after losing in the first round to Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 6-3, 7-6. After the
contest, Kyrgios admitted that this might be his last appearance in the singles category at the Australian Open.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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