“Steffi Graf’s a force to be reckoned with”: Andy Roddick ‘concerned’ about facing German in Pickleball Slam 3 despite sending warning to Andre Agassi
Andy Roddick expressed his “concerns” about facing the legendary Steffi Graf during the Pickleball Slam 3, despite sending a warning to her husband, Andre Agassi. The former US Open champion will partner with Eugenie Bouchard to take on the formidable power couple in the event.
The event will take place on February 16, 2025, at the Michelob Ultra Arena in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. It boasts a prize purse of $1 million and will be televised on ESPN at 4 PM ET.Roddick and Agassi first teamed up for the inaugural event in 2023, where they defeated John McEnroe and Michael Chang to secure the win. This year, the eight-time Grand Slam champion partnered with Graf, and together they triumphed over Maria Sharapova and McEnroe to claim the title once again.
Andre Agassi is excited to return in 2025 to defend his title alongside Steffi Graf in his hometown and playfully expressed that he felt “sorry” for Andy Roddick and Eugenie Bouchard.
“I can’t wait to return with Steffi and defend our title in February at Slam 3,” he said in a statement. “It’s an incredible opportunity to play in my hometown of Las Vegas, where the stakes are high, and the energy is electric. In this city, the odds are always in our favor, and I almost feel a little sorry for Andy and Genie.”
Roddick reacted to Agassi’s statements on X (formerly Twitter), humorously asserting that he was the one who carried Agassi to victory in the inaugural event. He also issued a lighthearted warning to his fellow competitor.
“@AndreAgassi has forgotten that I completely carried him to the first @pickleballslam win. He won’t have that luxury this time around,” he wrote.
However, despite the warning, the 42-year-old revealed that his real “concern” was Steffi Graf, whom he called a “force to be reckoned with.”
“For Slam 3, I’m actually more concerned about Steffi—she’s a force to be reckoned with! Genie and I are ready to defy the odds. After all, this is Las Vegas, a city that knows a thing or two about unexpected upsets,” Andy Roddick said in a statement.
