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It’s time for the ‘Pickleball Slam 3’. Last year, Steffi Graf made her debut at the Pickleball Slam 2, which featured Graf and Andre Agassi competing against John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova. They competed for a $1 million purse. On the other hand, Eugenie Bouchard, who played her last match at the “qualifying-round” of the 2024 Canadian Open, is scheduled to make her debut in the upcoming edition when she will compete against both Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, along with her partner Andy Roddick. Just before their highly anticipated final at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, the Canadian star subtly responded to the tennis legend’s trash talk.

It all started when Eugenie Bouchard made a bold statement on The Pickleball Slam’s Instagram page yesterday, stating: “The Genie is out of the bottle, I am ready to kick some A–.” The hype was indeed real but then came the perfect response from none other than Graf. Shortly after the Canadian’s clip aired, the page dropped another short video featuring Graf and her husband, Andre Agassi, where the German legend fired back: “We’re gonna put the Genie back in the bottle.” A trash-talking masterclass from the former World No. 1, wouldn’t you say?

But what really made the story go viral was when Genie herself re-shared the clip on her IG story, captioning it with “if you told young me that Steffi Graf would be trash talking me like this one day”, a cryptic yet intriguing comeback from the Canadian.

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Not only that, but the power couple had their say too before the clash! Ahead of the big match, Andre Agassi weighed in on their game plan, revealing their tactics to take on Eugenie Bouchard. The tennis legend acknowledged that Bouchard has been handling the pressure well since making the switch to professional pickleball. “For me, the calculus is knowing that she’s going to be the only one out there in that competitive environment, who has learned how to manage her blood pressure and nerves and energy right,” Agassi said back in November last year.

He even added Graf’s plan to target Genie’s counterpart, Andy Roddick. “I think the plan is to always go after the weakness, so I think we’re going to play her as little as possible. We’re going to check Andy’s oil,” he added. After which the Canadian shared her cheeky reply at her Instagram story with “@agassi sounds scared,”. 

Now, with plenty of trash talk leading up to this year’s showdown, the final is shaping up to be an absolute must-watch for fans across the world! However, despite the excitement for the Slam, the Canadian recently glowed the Pickleball fraternity with her outfit, despite a heartbreak at a PPA event.

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Will Steffi Graf's trash talk put the 'Genie' back in the bottle, or spark a surprise?

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Eugenie Bouchard stuns with her neon green look

The Canadian has long been a fashion icon in the tennis world, earning a reputation as a true style slayer on the professional circuit. Remember her standout outfit at the 2015 Australian Open? Back then, the 20-year-old Genie rocked a vibrant pink skirt paired with a top featuring bold yellow stripes, a stunning look so eye-catching that commentator Ian Cohen even requested her to twirl during the post-match interview. Fast forward to today, and the 30-year-old’s on-court fashion sense is once again making the headlines.

Eugenie Bouchard recently competed in a PPA event in Tucson, teaming up with another former ATP pro, Jack Sock. However, things didn’t go as planned, as the duo suffered a tough loss to Lindsey Newman and Ivan Jakovljevic, falling 8-11, 5-11. Her singles campaign also ended in a shock, as she was eliminated after a 9-11, 3-11 defeat to Chao Yi Wang. Notwithstanding the obstacles encountered, Bouchard discovered a positive outcome. 

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Just after the match, the Canadian took her Instagram and added, “I may not have won the tournament, but at least I had the cutest outfit,” with a carousel of pictures. A neon green New Balance outfit, complemented by white shoes, attracted her gaze and highlighted her fondness for the style. She even took a funny jab at her doubles partner later in her IG stories, adding, “Jack Sock needs to work on his outfits…”

As the final showdown between Agassi & Graf and Roddick & Bouchard is set to take place on February 16th, the big question is, who are you rooting for? Share your thoughts below!

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Will Steffi Graf's trash talk put the 'Genie' back in the bottle, or spark a surprise?

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