The tennis world is buzzing once again, but this time it’s not for a Grand Slam or a major ATP event—it’s for something a little different. Yes, the legends are heading back to the court, but hold on, it’s not for tennis. Andre Agassi has just dropped a bombshell, announcing the return of the Pickleball Slam! And while fans are already pumped to see their icons take up paddles instead of rackets, leave it to Andy Roddick to add his playful spin to the mix.

In the latest announcement through a video released by the official Instagram and X account of The Pickleball Slam, Agassi shared the return of the third edition of the tournament. Scheduled to take place on February 16, 2025, the tournament will arrive in Las Vegas for the next edition and feature the likes of Agassi and his wife Steffi Graf on one side and Roddick and Eugenie Bouchard on the other. 

Speaking about the latest edition, Agassi said, “This time I will be pairing up with my Pickleball Slam win partner Andy Roddick who will be pairing up with Genie Bouchard. But I have the last laugh as I am pairing up with my legendary wife Steffi Graf!” However, this did not sit well with Roddick, who quickly took to his X account and responded to the 54-year-old in his trademark style.

Taking to X, Roddick shared almost a 1-hour long video of the first edition of the tournament. “Attached above video as it seems that @AndreAgassi has forgotten that I completely carried him to the first @pickleballslam win …… he won’t have that luxury this time around,” he wrote. Remember, the duo outshined John McEnroe and Michael Chang in the first edition of the tournament in 2023. However, Roddick’s journey would not be easy either. 

For the unversed, Andre Agassi witnessed successful campaigns in both editions of the event. After winning with Roddick in 2023, he and his wife Graf managed to outclass Maria Sharapova and McEnroe in the subsequent edition of the tournament in February this year. With $1 million at stake, it will be interesting to see who edges closer to victory this time. But Roddick is not the only player excited about the event.

As soon as Agassi’s video gained traction on Instagram, Bouchard was quick to share her happiness. Resharing the post on her Instagram story, the Canadian player wrote, “This is gonna be epic! @thepickleballslam in Vegas Feb 16! Me &Andy Roddick Vs @agassi & Steffi Graf 🤩.” However, pickleball has witnessed some resistance from the tennis community in general.

When Novak Djokovic expressed his resentment about pickleball

Pickleball is no longer just a passion sport and has seen an immense rise, especially after the pandemic. With around 13.6 million players, participation in pickleball grew by over 50% from 2022 to 2023. The participation rate increased by almost 223.5% from 2020. This rise has also been accompanied by immense funds and sponsorships from across the globe, with several new initiatives aimed at further popularizing the sport. This has caused apprehension within the tennis community, and Novak Djokovic was no exception.

In an interaction, Djokovic opened up about the ill impacts that pickleball might be bringing to tennis. “On a club level, tennis is endangered,” he said. “If we don’t do something about it, globally or collectively, paddle, pickleball in the States, they’re gonna convert all the tennis clubs into paddle and pickleball. Because it’s more economical.”

For now, it will be interesting to see how well the community responds to the latest edition. Can Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf continue their dominance in the next edition too? Only time will tell.