Andre Agassi: Tennis is the most demanding racket sport, you can play pickleball at 50-plus years old and still get better at it

Andre Agassi recently drew comparisons between tennis and pickleball to illustrate the challenges of playing the two racket sports.

Agassi is all set to partner with his wife Steffi Graf to take on the team of John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova in the second edition of the Pickleball Slam on Sunday (February 4).

The eight-time Grand Slam winner spoke to American daily The Wall Street Journal ahead of the exhibition event. During the interaction, pickleball being vilified among tennis fans was brought to Andre Agassi's attention. The 53-year-old extended his respect towards the former sport, claiming that the paddle sport had provided new financial avenues to tennis clubs.

He was also straightforward about the appeal behind pickleball, insisting that it was a sport that was an enjoyable option for older adults.

"Listen, I think pickleball and tennis can play very happily in the same sandbox. I’ve seen pickleball take tennis clubs that were on the verge of going under and bring them alive again," Andre Agassi said.

"Tennis is, I think, the most demanding racket sport that exists. What can you do at 50-plus years old and still get better at? I love to say this about pickleball," he added.

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Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf could bag $1 million purse at Pickleball Slam 2

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Andre Agassi has been gearing up for his outing with Steffi Graf in the second edition of Pickleball Slam, which will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The American has also talked plenty of smack to John McEnroe ahead of their clash at the exhibition event, which promises a paycheque of $1 million to the winning team.

"On February 4th, Groundhog Day, it's going to come early this year because I’m going to make John [McEnroe] relive his defeat to me all over again," Agassi said in an Instagram video last week.

The defeat Agassi is talking about was a reference to John McEnroe's loss to him at the inaugural edition of the Pickleball Slam last March. The eight-time Major winner had teamed up with Andy Roddick to take on McEnroe and Michael Chang.

The exhibition event began with singles matches, where McEnroe beat Agassi 15-13, 16-14 before Roddick brought parity by getting the better of Chang, 15-10, 15-10. The winner-takes-all doubles match ended in Agassi and Roddick's favor as they won 21-15, 21-23, 12-10, thereby taking home $1 million in prize money.