Andre Agassi Reveals Why a Pickleball Face-Off Against Wife Steffi Graf Is Off the Cards

Remember last year’s Pickleball Slam 2? Tennis icons Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf teamed up to defeat John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova, pocketing $1 million, and proving once again, they’re unstoppable together. Even after 24 years of marriage, Agassii and Graf’s bond is rock solid, on and off the court. As Steffi shared with People Magazine earlier in March, “We don’t play pickleball against each other. We prefer to be on the same side of the court.” And recently, Agassi finally revealed why the two simply can’t bear to compete against one another. Can you guess the reason?

Steffi Graf retired from tennis in 1999 at the peak of her career, with an incredible 22 GS titles, the most in the Open Era across both men’s and women’s tennis at the time. Agassi followed suit in 2006, retiring with eight GS to his name. The two legends tied the knot in 2001 and have since built a quiet, family-focused life with their two children, Jaden and Jaz. While they largely stay away from the spotlight, recently, they’ve been making headlines again through their shared love for a new sport: Pickleball. Interestingly, while they love competing, they prefer teaming up rather than playing against each other, a choice Agassi recently explained.

In a recent IG story, Agassi shared a feature from Us Weekly, thanking them with the caption: “Thanks for the feature on @lifetime.pickleball @usweekly.” In the interview, when asked why he and Graf don’t compete against each other in Pickleball, Agassi offered an honest answer: “We’re much better together. When we’re against each other, she drops her level and I drop mine. We spiral downward against each other. With each other, we help.”

Elaborating further, Agassi also spoke about how the game of pickleball gave them something fresh to bond over. He said, “When this game sort of originally caught on… everybody thinks it’s for old people, and then it’s like it’s gotten so much younger, so I feel like I can still get better at something, which is really cool. But then, to do it with her, it gives us a bonding experience.” Clearly, for Agassi and Graf, pickleball is not just a sport, but a new chapter of shared growth and connection.

Their passion for the sport has also shown results on the court. Earlier this year, Agassi and Graf teamed up once again for the third Pickleball Slam, hosted at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The tennis icons faced the former US Open champion Andy Roddick and Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard, emerging victorious after 3 matches and a tie-break round. Their triumph secured them a second consecutive Pickleball Slam title and a $1 million prize money again.

Agassi and Graf have become increasingly invested in the pickleball scene. In March, they joined the JOOLA 2025 Pickleball Legends Tour, traveling across Vietnam and China alongside stars like Ben Johns, Anna Bright, and Brooke Buckner. Their commitment shows how seriously they’ve embraced this exciting new chapter.

And while dazzling on the pickleball stage, Agassi also shared what drew him to the sport after retiring from tennis.

“It brings communities together,” Andre Agassi opened up about why he chose Pickleball after retirement

Former World No. 1 Andre Agassi is set to make his professional pickleball debut next week, teaming up with world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters for mixed doubles at the US Open Pickleball Championships. Pickleball, a fast-paced paddle sport blending elements of tennis and badminton, was invented in 1965 and has seen a huge surge in popularity recently, thanks to its dynamic gameplay and accessibility.

Waters, just 18 years old, currently holds the Professional Pickleball Association’s top ranking in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Ahead of the event, Agassi opened up about why he chose pickleball after retiring from tennis, citing the sport’s energetic style and its appeal across all ages as reasons for his passion.

“It offers so much in crossing the lines of culture, genders [and] generations. It brings communities together. It’s also one of those sports that’s not intimidating to start. The more you get into it, the higher you go, the more you realize how much it asks of you, physically [and] mentally,” the American icon said.

With legends like Agassi entering the fold and bringing their competitive fire to the sport, pickleball’s future looks brighter than ever, and fans can expect the sport to keep smashing expectations worldwide.

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