Who says one can’t excel at two sports simultaneously? Just look at Japanese WTA star Naomi Osaka, who has been showcasing incredible talent in both tennis and pickleball. Being coached by Patrick Mouratoglou, she hopes to excel in the coming year with great improvement. However, before Osaka could start her 2025 season, she is trying her hands in pickleball. In October, this WTA star was spotted playing pickleball in Japan where she hilariously sent her first shot straight to the net. Now, she visited a Hollywood personality and renowned comedian Kevin Hart’s house for a game, and looks like she has improved a lot since October.

Hart who is a pickleball player alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Shaquille O’Neal, and many celebrities invited Osaka for a game of pickleball at his house. Although the Hollywood personality believed that he could overpower the former Grand Slam champion with his skills, he was wrong. Hart shared glimpses of his match with Osaka showing that the WTA star was too good to beat. Hart shared the video on his IG platform and dropped a long caption. The gist said, “Word on the street is that I might be a pro in pickle ball …. Ok not really but I’m good damn it…. At least I thought I was until @naomiosaka came over to my house and wh**ped my a** like I stole something 😂😂😂😂😂 First game I held my own 11-7 and felt good about myself…. The next game she made me understand the true definition of a pro and beat me 11-1,” he wrote highlighting how he was defeated by the WTA star. Enthusiastic by the match result, Hart also dropped his wish to watch Osaka shining brightly in Melbourne, What a cute gesture, isn’t it?

Interstingly, Naomi Osaka has been advocating for pickleball. She followed the trail of NBA stars LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes by investing in a new Major League in the racquet sport. Along with Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios also invested in the sport. Despite their efforts to popularize this sister sport of tennis, Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs, and Martina Navratilova expressed their strong disagreement on pickleball and declared no investment in its expansion.

Despite Naomi Osaka’s efforts, Renane Stubbs and Martina Navratilova refuse to accept pickleball’s glory

When Osaka invested in a new Major League of pickleball, Stubbs tweeted on X, “Just to let everyone know, I will NOT be investing in a Pickleball franchise & will never turn a tv on to watch Pickleball. I would rather watch pain dry. Why all these tennis players think Pickleball is worth investing in & not the game that made them all the $$$ is beyond me. Because Pickleball is and it’s even worse to watch on tv!! Thursday Ratings: CBS Fails to Capitalize on the ‘Pickled’ Craze,” While this veteran coach didn’t point out names, it was clear that she doesn’t happily accept tennis players’ contribution into a sport that is rapidly eating into tennis’ popularity in the United States.

Alongside Stubbs, Navratilova also said, “Biggest reason pickle ball is so popular, (in my not so humble opinion), is that you can be decent and feel successful rather quickly. Unlike tennis, which- in the words of my friend Joel Drucker- takes a long time not to suck,” said the former WTA number one.

Nevertheless, Naomi Osaka‘s recent pickleball stunt at Kevin Hart’s house showcased her multitalented personality. Alongside tennis, Osaka is showing her brilliance in another racquet sport highlighting that she is a true champion, no matter the field. Do you think the winning trend will continue in 2025?