Andre Agassi has also caught pickleball fever!
One of tennis's greatest legends, Andre Agassi, like several other tennis stars, has found a new passion.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Mar 26, 2023, 05:36 pm
A small note to the European friends and especially marketers of padel tennis (outside of Spain, of course): If I want to bring a discipline that is becoming more and more popular among active players to a wider audience on TV, then it would be advisable to refer to the appeal of to set otherwise established legends. A show double in the padel cage between Thomas Muster and Alex Antonitsch on the one hand and Michael Stich and Marc-Kevin Goellner on the other hand - almost in reminiscence of Unterpremstätten 1994 - there would also be a TV audience for that. Maybe something will come of it.
In the USA one is already further. Padel is played a little differently there - usually without walls - but the latest craze in terms of racket sports is pickleball. More and more people are trying out this easy-to-learn discipline, including active tennis stars such as Jack Sock, John Isner and Sam Querrey. For fun. However, leagues are also installed very professionally, which are intended to establish Pickleball in the competitive sports landscape among the fans.
Agassi tickles McEnroe
In the latter respect in particular, it also helps to organize an event such as the one that is to be held next Sunday. It's going to be the Pickleball Slam in Hollywood, Florida, an exhibition match involving four prime-aged men who have each won at least one Grand Slam title in tennis: John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Michael Chang and Andre Agassi.
The Las Vegas man has famously triumphed in all four majors. And that at a time when the clay court in Roland Garros was not yet faster than the hard court in New York City. Agassi at Pickleball, that will also be an interesting combination when it comes to trash talk. Because Stefanie Graf's husband has already provided the prelude to this. In the direction of John McEnroe. According to Agassi, it is actually completely unsuitable for pickleball. Because he only ever played with the pace of his opponents.
John McEnroe will answer on the court. And ESPN, the country's largest sports broadcaster, will not be depriving its subscribers of this on Sunday, April 02, 2023.