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When Desert Smash hits, Hollywood sure knows how to rally.
As is tradition, the 2026 philanthropic celebrity tennis and pickleball event was held the first week of March at La Quinta Resort & Club. Serving as an unofficial kickoff to the BNP Paribas Open, Desert Smash unites actors, musicians, entertainers and athletes for a cause — this year, the USTA Foundation, which brings tennis, education and mentorship to young people from under-resourced communities.
A week after Lily Collins announced her role as Audrey Hepburn in an upcoming movie project based on Sam Wasson’s book Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M, the Emily in Paris lead packed her bags for the desert in support of both the GO Campaign, for which she’s an official ambassador, and her husband, film director and screenwriter Charlie McDowell, who played in this year’s 3rd Annual Desert Smash Celebrity Pickleball Challenge.
Collins’ in-laws, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, were also in attendance at the pickleball and tennis matches alongside participants and guests Naomi Osaka, Yvonne Orji, Nick Kyrgios, Pete Wentz, Matteo Berrettini, Lorenzo Musetti, Alexander Zverev, Gavin Rossdale and Lance Bass, to name a few.
Amidst heated matches and exhilarating live auctions, celebrity chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Robbie Felice whipped up enviable eats for stars, athletes and guests in partnership with HexClad Cookware, one of this year’s long list of sponsors. Joining HexClad at the 2026 Desert Smash Sponsor Village were David Beckham’s science-backed wellness brand IM8, sustainable fine jewelry brand John Hardy, stylish tennis label Boast, Lucid Motors, Cîroc Vodka and Dobel Tequila (who teamed with No. 1 women’s tennis player Aryna Sabalenka to create her signature cocktail, the Marg-Aryna), amongst others.
For additional fine dining favorites, many guests, star athletes included, headed to nearby resort Grand Hyatt Indian Wells for Taste of Tennis, where dozens of local chefs dished up Michelin-worthy bites. And as always, Desert Smash concluded in celebratory fashion with Smash Bash, the two-day event’s exclusive afterparty hosted at nearby Zenyara, a 70 acre private estate with its very own man-made white-sand beach, that counts Rihanna, Post Malone, Blackpink and Idris Elba as past guests.
Tickets for Desert Smash 2027 will become available at desertsmash.com early next year.
