Pickleball Slam 3 promises to be a great event after Andre Agassi and his wife, fellow tennis legend Steffi Graf, were confirmed to take on Andy Roddick and Eugenie Bouchard.
Although its popularity is still not as high as tennis's, pickleball is undoubtedly growing. The number of former top tennis players playing the sport has contributed to that.
For example, Roger Federer has played pickleball since retiring two years ago. The Swiss Maestro enjoyed the experience, describing it as fun, and did not rule out playing it more in the future.
The profile of pickleball was also raised by Bouchard pausing her tennis career (aside from a couple of fleeting appearances) to play the sport. Bouchard is not retired, playing in the qualifiers at this year's Canadian Open, but she has focused on pickleball in 2024.
The two Pickleball Slams have also generated attention. In the first iteration, in April 2023, Agassi and Roddick defeated a team of John McEnroe and Michael Chang to win $1 million.
Pickleball Slam 2 featured a battle between Agassi and Graff and McEnroe and Maria Sharapova. Agassi and Graf came out on top and will try to defend their title at the tournament's third edition.
The pair could face a more formidable challenge from Roddick and Bouchard. Roddick proved his skills on the court when he won the first Pickleball Slam with Agassi, who will be wary of the man he was once partnered with.
Bouchard should be a threat because she has been playing pickleball regularly. She is also the youngest player of the four who will take to the court, which could give her and Roddick an advantage.
However, Agassi and Graf's previous success together will undoubtedly make them confident. Their chemistry on the court is also obvious after so many years of marriage.
Pickleball Slam 3 was announced in a video by Agassi on the event's X page. In the video, the eight-time Grand Slam champion announced the venue, date, and teams, humorously saying he "felt bad" for Roddick and Bouchard.
The third iteration of the Pickleball Slam will be played on February 16, at 4 p.m. Eastern time, in Agassi's hometown of Las Vegas, at the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
ESPN will televise the event, with 1 million dollars at stake once again. The network also televised the previous two Pickleball Slams, gaining large viewing figures, especially for both editions.
Pickleball Slam 1, featuring Agassi, Roddick, McEnroe, and Cheng, attracted an average viewing figure of 669,000, peaking at 796,000. That demonstrates the effect of sports legends playing pickleball.
The average audience for Pickleball Slam 2 was 596,000. However, the peak of 990,000 was higher than for Pickleball Slam 1. When the event returns in February, there should be great viewing figures once again.
Pickleball remains mostly in tennis' shadow, but it continues to grow. Participation rates increased across the U.S. in 2023, and more former and current tennis players trying the sport will help that growth.
0 Comments