Overview Desert Smash is a charity tennis exhibition at La Quinta Resort and Club in the California desert that pairs Hollywood names with tour pros for singles and doubles, on a court that has held Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka alongside Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart and Justin Bieber. The day adds a celebrity pickleball challenge, which debuted in 2024, and closes with the Smash Bash, an evening party. Ryan Macaulay created it in 2004 and his Epic Sports and Entertainment produces it. The 2026 edition benefited the USTA Foundation, which reaches more than 170,000 young people a year. On site The tennis is an exhibition, not a tournament: celebrities partner the pros, the matches mix singles and doubles, and the event describes the mood as casual and full of surprises. Auction winners have taken the court in doubles alongside Mike and Bob Bryan and Jon Hamm. The pickleball matches run on a stadium court. After dark comes the Smash Bash, where, per the event, Justin Bieber, Sia and Nelly have all turned up to perform, and partners bring their own treats and experiences into the night. Fivestar Experiences sells VIP packages with hotel stays. Talent and Influencers Pros who have played include Djokovic, Williams, Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, Alexander Zverev, Emma Raducanu, Casper Ruud, Frances Tiafoe, Ons Jabeur, Elena Rybakina, Victoria Azarenka, Holger Rune and Nick Kyrgios. The celebrity side has run from P!nk, Sean Penn, Charlize Theron and Jon Hamm to Rebel Wilson and Wanda Sykes. The pickleball bill has included Jason Derulo, David Dobrik, Sam Asghari and pickleball pro Tyson McGuffin. Brand presence Partners buy in as official partner, premium partner or with a booth. Maestro Dobel, Ketel One and Flor de Cana appear among the Smash Bash sponsors on the event site, and JOOLA and HexClad on its main partner list.