Andre Agassi and wife Steffi Graf refuse to play pickleball against each other: Here’s why

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf have been one of tennis’ most celebrated couples for decades, and both have enjoyed huge success in their tennis careers. But interestingly, they avoid playing pickleball against each other. The American recently opened up about the reason behind this.

Graf retired from the sport in 1999 while at her peak, with 22 Grand Slam titles—the highest in the Open Era across both men’s and women’s tennis at the time—while Agassi followed in 2006 with eight Majors. They tied the knot in 2001 and share a son, Jaden, and a daughter, Jaz.

The power couple has not often been in the spotlight over the years, but recently, they’ve made headlines with their interest in another sport—pickleball. While they don’t play against each other, they team up for doubles—a choice Andre Agassi explained in a recent interview with Us Weekly.

Agassi said:

“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.”

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi first made headlines in the pickleball scene when they won the Pickleball Slam 2 in 2024, defeating Maria Sharapova and John McEnroe. A year later, they successfully defended their title against Eugenie Bouchard and Andy Roddick.

Andre Agassi explains why he chose to play pickleball

Andre Agassi | Image Source: Getty

Andre Agassi could have easily chosen to return to tennis for exhibitions or similar events, but instead, he decided to try his hand at pickleball. In the same interview with Us Weekly, he explained his reasoning, saying:

“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 American added:

“The more you get into it, the higher you go, the more you realize how much it asks of you, physically [and] mentally.”

Agassi and Steffi Graf have been deeply invested in pickleball lately, even going on a world tour in March. The event, the JOOLA 2025 Pickleball Legends Tour, took place in Vietnam and China and featured other notable players such as Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Brooke Buckner, and more.

The American tennis legend is now ready to take it up a notch as he prepares to make his professional pickleball debut. He is set to compete in the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships on April 30, alongside the sport's No. 1 player, Anna Leigh Waters.