John McEnroe appears to have ignited the mind games with Andre Agassi ahead of the second edition of the Pickleball Slam that will see the two tennis greats lock horns.
McEnroe and Agassi account for a combined 15 Grand Slams in singles and have each been ranked at No. 1 during their glittering playing careers. They met four times on the ATP Tour, with the head-to-head tied at 2-2. However, their careers didn't quite intertwine.
Just as Agassi rose through the ranks, McEnroe was in the twilight of his career. But their short-lived rivalry will be rekindled in a lucrative one-off pickleball match set to take place on February 4, 2024, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The energetic McEnroe will team up with former WTA No. 1 Maria Sharapova, while Agassi will join forces with his wife and one of the most decorated champions in tennis history, Steffi Graf.
McEnroe engaged in a light-hearted banter in a word association game directed at his opponent Agassi. The 64-year-old was asked to describe his fellow countryman and retorted, "Bit of a chump from last year," referring to the defeat he suffered at the hands of Agassi in the Pickleball Slam 1 when he partnered with Michael Chang.
As promotional activities for the event continue to gather pace, Agassi has previously commented on their duel, promising to "take money away from McEnroe." For context, the Pickleball Slam 2 will offer a prize of $1 million.
McEnroe was complimentary of 22-time Grand Slam winner Steffi Graf, calling her a "champ" in a video shared by Pickleball Slam's official YouTube channel where the American great was in conversation with her partner for the upcoming match Maria Sharapova.
This will be the first taste of pickleball action for the retired Russian tennis player, who stated that McEnroe would be the ideal partner following Andy Roddicks's unavailability.
"Why not partner with Mac, he's kind of the guy to partner with. To have fun, to laugh, to get a little angry and I couldn't get Andy (Roddick) so he was the next one in line."
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