Power couple Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf defeat John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova to win $1million Pickleball Slam 2

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf have scooped the $1million purse to win Pickleball Slam 2 on Sunday night in Las Vegas defeating John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova in the process with the former sealing back-to-back titles.

Agassi had an ace on his side as he teamed with Jack Sock in the initial match who is playing professionally now in pickleball against the team of McEnroe and James Blake who has also turned his hand to the sport. But it was an 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 17-15 win. Sock was also on the winning side in match two as he claimed it alongside Graf against Sharapova and Blake 9-11, 11-8, 17-15.

The clean sweep was complete with the highly anticipated match with the two legend teams as Agassi and Graf took it 11-7, 13-11.  “I’m probably more frustrated, but I am getting older,” McEnroe said. “So, I’m trying to come up with something new, you know?”

“Before we started, I had a lot of nerves and I haven’t felt that way in many years,” said Graf as she also quipped about what she will be spending her money on. “It’s a great crowd and it’s really special.”

Some criticism has been levied towards pickleball in the past, but for the leading stars, it has its benefits as another big tournament concludes. “To me, tennis is always the king. But it’s easy to play this. That’s why my friends play with me all the time,” McEnroe said of pickleball. “But the better the level [of competition], you better practice.”

Agassi reiterated those comments. "The sports themselves, they can live and play happily in the sandbox. There’s no reason why a tennis player can’t have a paddle in their bag and pull it out at any time. Courts are everywhere now, and I think that’s less and less.”