Copyright timesnownews
Pickleball’s most electrifying exhibition is back - and this time, it’s men versus women. The fourth edition of the Pickleball Slam promises to be a Battle of the Sexes for the ages, starring none other than women’s pickleball star Anna Leigh Waters and tennis legend Andre Agassi, the sport’s most vocal and passionate ambassador. This high-profile showdown won’t be a traditional singles duel, though. Instead, both stars will be pitted against each other as they join forces with partners of their own, competing for $1 million in prize money and major bragging rights. Waters, just 18 and already widely regarded as the greatest in women’s pickleball, will pair up with tennis-player-turned-pickler Eugenie Bouchard, while Agassi will partner with former World No. 4 James Blake. The mixed doubles clash will serve as the grand finale of Pickleball Slam, following two singles matches: Bouchard versus Agassi, and Waters versus Blake. Each singles victory will add one point to a team’s total, while the doubles match - worth two points - will ultimately decide the champions, following a format reminiscent of tennis’s Laver Cup. The tournament, set to begin on April 15, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, will further solidify pickleball’s growing foothold in the mainstream sports landscape. Even though the tournament is still month away, Waters has already fired the opening shot - with a mix of confidence and conviction. “Many people still think the top women’s players could not beat the top men’s players in any racket sport. We are ready to prove them wrong,” said Waters, who paired up with Agassi earlier this year at the US Open Pickleball Championship. “Genie and I have a lot of respect for Andre and James’ legacy, but they are about to learn how hard it really is to master the sport we play for a living.” Agassi, of course, will not be backing down easily. The tennis great has already lifted the trophy in all three previous editions of the Pickleball Slam. In last year’s event, he and his wife - 22-time Grand Slam champion Steffi Graf - defeated Andy Roddick and Bouchard to secure yet another title. Naturally, he’ll be chasing that same winning feeling once more in 2026. The fourth edition of the Pickleball Slam will be produced by broadcast Hall of Famer David Levy’s Horizon Sports and Experiences, in collaboration with GSE Worldwide - setting the stage for one of the sport’s most compelling and star-studded spectacles yet.
