The
Pickleball Slam 2 is approaching, and the duo of
Andre Agassi and
Steffi Graf
expressed their eagerness to provide fans with a top-notch spectacle and clinch
the match as they face off against the pair of
John McEnroe and Maria
Sharapova.
The
exhibition will be played for the second time, but this time with mixed teams,
allowing the 22-year marriage of Graf and Agassi to compete together in an
intriguing Pickleball match where all four protagonists are former world No. 1
and multiple Grand Slam champions.
Legends
united by Pickleball Slam 2
The German
tennis icon boasts an impressive 22 Grand Slam titles in her career, setting a
record that stood for decades in the Open Era until Serena Williams surpassed
it in 2017. On the Agassi front, he has clinched 8 Grand Slam victories,
putting him on par with the likes of Ivan Lendl and Jimmy Connors.
Just before
the event, Agassi and Graf took part in a video where they asserted that they
have diligently worked in recent months to deliver a stellar performance.
"We
are here excited and we believe we are ready. So I say if you have to bet or if
you want to bet, bet on us," Agassi said in an interview ahead of the
match posted on Instagram.
McEnroe – Sharapova partnership
The
opposing team, nonetheless, is not lagging behind, as the 7-times Grand Slam
champion John McEnroe will form an intriguing partnership with the 5-times
Grand Slam champion
Maria Sharapova. Steffi Graf expressed her excitement about
the formidable opponents they will be facing.
"Couldn't agree more. We have been working hard in the last few
months. We are really ready to go and excited to playing with John (McEnroe)
and Maria (Sharapova) So it should be a lot of fun," Graf said.
"You
know last year I was trying to support him and get him ready for it, playing a
little bit, didn't take it very serious. The last few months have been very
different for me you know just to get into the physical shape and switching my
brain a little bit from tennis to pickleball," Graf said
"The
homework has already been done for this match. So it is all about peaking at
the right time. We have got a fun day planned for the rest of today. We will
get a practice and be ready to go," Andre Agassi said when asked about the
plan for the day ahead of the pickleball match.