Eugenie Bouchard is all set to serve up something truly unique! The Canadian star, who’s recently found her rhythm on the pickleball court, is gearing up for a one-of-a-kind pickleball tournament in February, featuring tennis legends and stars stepping into this fast-paced, smaller-court sport. It’s a crossover event that promises to bring plenty of excitement—and Bouchard is already making sure she’s in the spotlight. True to her lively personality, Bouchard couldn’t resist throwing in some playful yet praiseworthy remarks about tennis icons Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, both of whom are also set to participate in the tournament.

In September this year, Agassi was featured in a video on Instagram and announced the return of the 3rd edition of The Pickleball Slam. The tournament is scheduled to take place on February 16, 2025, in Las Vegas, which is also Agassi’s hometown, Speaking about the latest edition earlier, 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!” But interestingly, some playful remarks have already started coming in even before the tournament, and leading the fray is none other than Bouchard. 

Taking to her Instagram story, Bouchard shared a post by the official account of The Pickleball Slam where Agassi and Graf can be seen talking about the Canadian player and the tournament in general. Speaking in the interview, Graf highlighted Bouchard’s stronghold in Pickleball and said, “Genie is been really playing well this year, you know taking it professional. I think to jump from Tennis to pickleball, you know, is not an easy transition.” She was echoed by her husband Agassi who added, “They (Roddick and Bouchard) are great competitors on top of being everything. Genie being one of the first to bridge the gap between Tennis and Pickleball.” While the Canadian acknowledged the praise, she ensured to add a playful twist to it. 

Captioning the story, she wrote, “they’re so nice I don’t wanna have to beat them in Feb!!😩” expressing her confidence for the tournament. But interestingly, despite the confidence that Bouchard is depicting, the encounter in February will not be free from challenges for her. 

For the unversed, Agassi has demonstrated relentless grit on the pickleball courts as well. won the tournament’s first edition in 2023 with Roddick. He continued his trajectory in 2024 with his wife Graf, while playing against John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova. Coming back to Eugenie Bouchard, this is not the first time when she has spoken about the tournament and has expressed her confidence.

When Agassi announced the return of the tournament in 2025, Bouchard was quick to express her happiness. “This is gonna be epic! @thepickleballslam in Vegas Feb 16! Me &Andy Roddick Vs @agassi & Steffi Graf 🤩,” she wrote on her Instagram account. Interestingly, the major reason behind her latest confident remark can be attributed to the remarkable progress she is making on the pickleball courts as well. 

When Eugenie Bouchard earned unique honor through Pickleball

Eugenie Bouchard began playing pickleball after failing to qualify for the US Open last year. Gradually, she started competing at a professional level joining many players who try to amalgamate their tennis skills on pickleball courts. Her determination has continued to bring her success as evidenced by a recent video the ex-tennis darling shared on her Instagram story.

Taking to the platform, Bouchard shared a video of herself playing pickleball as she took on Lara Giltinan and led fashionably against her in the Pickleball World Championship Series in Texas. But what caught the attention of the fans was the remarkable Around the Post—or ATP shot that the star player played on the courts. 

The shot requires the opponent to hit the ball at an angle where they can take off the court and strike the pickleball outside the net post. This tactic was in fact acknowledged by ESPN and earned a place in the Top 10 on SportsCenter. Bouchard seemed delighted over being featured by SportsCenter and wrote, “SC Top 10 😮‍💨🤣. ”

For now, it would be interesting to see if Agassi or Graf come out to respond to the playful remarks of the Canadian. Will they be able to compete against Bouchard in a thrilling fashion? Well, only time will tell.