Daily Dose of Social Media: Serena Williams trades her tennis racquet for padel as Djokovic trains with rising Thai talent

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, the spotlight was on the recent video of 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams trying out her first padel session. While ATP and WTA players fine-tune the final details of their off-season, Naomi Osaka took a moment to joke about the 'scene of the crime' on the practice court.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic trained with an up-and-coming Thai tennis star ahead of the Brisbane International, while Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz had a fun encounter with a quokka in Australia.

Serena Williams shared a video on social media showcasing her first session of padel. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has been enjoying her retirement since the 2022 US Open, where she played her final official tournament and lost to Ajla Tomljanović in the fourth round. The American balances her family life with business ventures and appearances at fashion events, but she still found time to try out padel.

In the video, Williams can be seen showing off her padel outfit and playing on the court. “And just like that, I finished basically my first time playing padel. It was really fun. So I won three sets and I lost one. It was the last one, and I was really angry and I smashed a ball on the fence,” the former world No. 1 shared.

The 4-time Grand Slam champion shared a humorous video portraying herself as an “Investigative Journalist” from Auckland while preparing for her participation in the ASB Classic. The former World No. 1 has been in New Zealand for several days with her team, led by Patrick Mouratoglou – the former coach of Serena Williams and Simona Halep – gearing up for the 2025 season.

“My name is Naomi Osaka, and we are reporting live from the scene of the crime. This is Eyewitness News 4. We have a murder on the court—the death of a shoe. Well, the death of a shoelace. We call this working too hard; it was burned off. R-I-P. Rip,” Osaka joked in the video.

The tournament kicks off on December 29 and boasts a star-studded draw, featuring Osaka, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, and a total of eight top-15 players, including Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Daria Kasatkina, and Paula Badosa. Additionally, the event will include players like Emma Raducanu and Ons Jabeur, who, like Osaka, are aiming to reclaim their top positions.

Novak Djokovic recently practiced with 23-year-old Thai tennis player Kasidit Samrej, currently ranked World No. 415. In a post shared by Samrej from Amanpuri, Thailand, he appears alongside the 24-time Grand Slam champion after a training session. Djokovic is continuing his preparations for his first tournament of the year at the Brisbane International.

Djokovic's recent training sessions have largely remained private. The Serbian star announced weeks ago the addition of Andy Murray as his coach, although they have yet to be seen working together during the off-season. Nevertheless, the Brit is expected to join Djokovic ahead of the Australian Open. This will be a significant test for the current World No. 7, who aims to secure his 25th Grand Slam title in Melbourne and bounce back from a 2024 season overshadowed by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s dominance.

“Thank you @djokernole for a great practice and your advice. It was my honour to practice with you this week. 🎾🔥,” the young player posted on social media.

Team Germany enjoyed a day off on Rottnest Island, located a few miles west of Perth, Australia. Led by Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund, the team spent time on the beach, took a helicopter tour, and interacted with local wildlife.

Germany enters the tournament as the defending champions after a remarkable campaign in 2023. Last year, with former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber in the lineup, they advanced through the group stage and quarterfinals, consistently securing victories in decisive mixed doubles matches. In the final against Poland, Iga Swiatek put Poland ahead before Hubert Hurkacz came within match points of defeating Zverev. However, the German star turned the tide, eventually leading the team to triumph in the mixed doubles final, earning Germany their first United Cup title.

This year, seeded 11th, Germany shares a group with Brazil and China. They are set to debut against the South Americans. Siegemund will face former top-10 player Beatriz Haddad Maia, while Zverev takes on Thiago Monteiro. If a mixed doubles match is required, Zverev and Siegemund are expected to form Germany’s top pair.

Coco Gauff enjoyed a light-hearted moment during a day out with Taylor Fritz ahead of their United Cup debut. The World No. 3 will team up with the ATP World No. 4 as they lead the USA in their quest for the title as the first seed of the draw. The team is grouped with Canada and Croatia and is set to debut on December 29.

Currently in Perth, the duo spent a day at the beach, interacting with Australia’s unique wildlife. In a video, Gauff is seen trying to take a selfie with a quokka, an iconic Australian animal.

“They look like a mix of a kangaroo and a mouse,” remarked the 2023 US Open champion. “I’m scared of them; I’m gonna watch Taylor do it first,” added the top-ranked American woman.

Later, as she attempted to capture a close-up photo with the animal, Gauff exclaimed, “I think I got the selfie. There we go, thank you! I appreciate it… don’t leave us!” she said endearingly to the quokka, with Fritz watching by her side.