3 minutes of readingNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 4, 2026 06:05 pm IST
Actor Deshmukh rite recently sat down with tennis pioneer Sania Mirzaand the conversation goes back to 2014, when Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic visited India for the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL). The visit was a mix of Grand Slam intensity and Bollywood glamour.
Riteish called it an “amazing moment” and recalled how Akshay Kumar did a handstand to impress Federer. He said on Serving With Sania, “It was an amazing moment. We all went on a bus to a farm. Having tennis legends everywhere and Aamir played tennis that day. Akshay and I were just pretending to show off, I was showing off my pickleball skills, while Akshay was busy doing his handstand, joking, ‘Jo Roger nahi kar sakta, arey tu kya tennis khelega, ye karke dikha.'”
As part of the IPTL, a team league designed to bring tennis to fans, Federer and Djokovic became the main attraction of the sports carnival that went beyond the court. His presence turned the Indian leg of the league into a cultural spectacle, attracting not only tennis fans but also film lovers.
When Federer played with Deepika Padukone, Aamir Khan
At the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the lines between sport and entertainment blurred. Federer and fellow tennis player Novak Djokovic were joined on court by Bollywood stars such as Aamir Khan, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh.
Deepika Padukone with Roger Federer during the International Premier Tennis League pic.twitter.com/ZcOVtu6wVR
— lunatic (@mischievouswolf) June 17, 2022
Deepika Padukone teamed up with Federer in a mixed doubles exhibition against Novak Djokovic and Sania Mirza.
In another fan-favorite appearance, Aamir Khan accompanied Federer in a short doubles match against Mirza and Djokovic. As the actor struggled to find consistency on serve, the two tennis legends humorously adjusted their positions to help him get the ball.
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Federer publishes photo with a naan
Off the court, Federer embraced Indian culture, tweeting a photo with a giant traditional naan and was later seen learning Bollywood dance with Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone during a star-studded gala.
Do you have naan? pic.twitter.com/Uoxex0CUnq
-Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) December 8, 2014
About Sania Mirza Podcast
Riteish was accompanied by his wife, actress Genelia Deshmukh, for the conversation with Sania Mirza, where the couple spoke candidly about their relationship, their years of dating and their individual career paths.
Serving with Sania Features Sania Mirza in candid conversations with celebrities, where they open up about unfiltered stories, laugh-out-loud moments, and refreshing insights on life, fame, and parenthood. The podcast has previously hosted guests such as Farah Khan, Zakir Khan and Yuvraj Singh.