Jannik Sinner and Naomi Osaka enjoyed a relaxed pickleball session in Melbourne as preparations continued for the Australian Open.The meeting brought together two multiple-time Australian Open champions at a luxury hotel in the city, where the Italian and the Japanese star played a friendly yet competitive game ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year.
The event marked the debut of the 1 Hotels Open, with both players taking to a specially set-up court.
Sinner, champion in Melbourne in 2023 and 2024, and Osaka, who lifted the title in 2019 and 2021, showed easy chemistry during the encounter. It was not their first off-court crossover during the week. The pair had earlier played table tennis before switching to pickleball paddles for this exhibition match.
The world number two arrives at the Australian Open in strong form. Sinner is on a 15-match winning streak after claiming three consecutive titles at the end of 2025. He is set to begin his title defence on Sunday against Frenchman Hugo Gaston.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, will open her campaign against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic as she continues her return to top-level competition.
The informal pickleball contest offered a lighter moment in the build-up to the Australian Open, underlining the growing crossover appeal of the sport among elite tennis players.
About Indian Pickleball Association:
The Indian Pickleball Association is the official governing body for pickleball in India and is dedicated to promoting, developing, and organising the sport across the country. The association continues to inspire players of all ages and skill levels to embrace the game through events like the IPA Nationals. IPA is affiliated with the Asian Pickleball Association (APA) and the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF).
About Pickleball World Ranking:
PWR is a national ranking system that spans all age groups, skill divisions, and formats -including singles, doubles, and mixed categories. It serves as the official National Sports Federation Ranking for India. With multiple sanctioned events taking place every week across the country, PWR defines the top Indian players at every level and forms the foundation for team selection at the school, district, state, and national stages.
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