Emily in the desert! Lily Collins and more stars grab racquets for charity at Desert Smash

Emily Cooper traded her beret for tennis balls for a good cause ahead of the BNP Paribas Open.

Golden Globe nominee and Emily in Paris Lily Collins was among the flock of famous faces who descended on the La Quinta Resort and Club this week for the 22nd annual Desert Smash event, an annual charity exhibition that kicks off the tour's swing through Tennis Paradise.

Cooper was spotted with husband Charlie McDowell, along with his mom Mary Steenburgen and stepdad Ted Danson, at the two-day event featured pickleball and tennis play by athletes from the two sports, and Hollywood movers and shakers. Tennis pros who participated included Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, Victoria Mboko, Naomi Osaka, Alexander Zverev, and Nick Kyrgios—the last of whom traded his racquet for a paddle.

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The 22nd edition of the annual charity exhibition raised funds to support the USTA Foundation, which uses tennis, education and mentorship opportunities to transform the lives of young people from under-resourced communities nationwide as the independent social impact arm of the USTA.

"Anytime I can give back, I think that's the most powerful thing athletes can do," Kyrgios said. "Obviously, I put my hand up as much as I can to help."

Last year, more than 230,000 youth participated in USTA Foundation-supported organizations, and two of them had the unforgettable opportunity to play tennis with Bob and Mike Bryan during the event as well.

"Desert Smash brings unmatched visibility, giving us a powerful platform to share our story and create lasting impact," said USTA Foundation CEO Ginny Ehrlich in a news release last month that announced the USTA's social impact arm as the 2026 beneficiary. "This partnership is about providing young people from under-resourced communities the tools they need to write their best life stories–on and off the court."

Other stars who came out to support the cause included Emmy nominee Yvonne Orji, former The Bachelor leading man Matt James and Fall Out Boy musician Pete Wentz.