Carlos Alcaraz showed off his pickleball chops—would you have guessed he looked like a natural?

NEW YORK—Have you ever wondered what Carlos Alcaraz’s pickleball game would look like? A few hundred invited guests at the Lotte Palace Hotel in Midtown Manhattan had a chance to find out from up close on Thursday evening. Alcaraz, along with Taylor Fritz, Caroline Wozniacki, Elena Rybakina and tennis’ most enthusiastic pickleball convert, Andre Agassi, stopped by for quick hit, and a few giggles, with Today Show hosts Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones.

Alcaraz wasn’t exactly dressed for pickleball success: He was wearing a collared shirt and slacks. Presumably, he had other, non-athletic events to attend later. He also didn’t have a chance to warm up, and the well-dressed partygoers, many of whom were well into their second Honey Deuces of the evening, were crowded as close as possible to the court’s lines.

Still, not surprisingly, Alcaraz looked like a natural from the first ball he hit—he knew when to add pace and when to take it off. He was playing with Milan Rane of the Miami Pickleball Club, against Fritz and another Miami pickleballer, Eric Oncins. The rallies were quick, and Alcaraz and Fritz mostly held their own with the pros. When Alcaraz and Rane won their three-minute contest, Melvin presented them with a trophy and called it “Another silver medal!” for the Spanish Olympian.

The stars were gone almost as soon as they arrived, back to their whirlwind Manhattan promotional tour. The guests were left to their Honey Deuces, on a beautiful night, feeling a little more ready for the US Open.