Andre Agassi sets out on tour; shoulders responsibility of popularizing pickleball across the world: First Stop in India
As a sport, Pickleball has gained massive popularity all over the World, especially in the US in the last few years. The popularity of the sport has made tennis stars come out and vocally endorse the sport globally. One of the notable supporters of Pickleball is eight-time Grand Slam champion, Andre Agassi.
Agassi is currently in India. The American legend was a guest of honor at the TiE global summit in Bangalore on December 11. However, the American is scheduled to be in Mumbai on December 13, to launch a new pickleball league in India. This will help to slingshot the sport in a country with a massive audience following.
The PWR DUPR Indian Masters already had its first leg in New Delhi with success. Now with Agassi in the mix, in a city like Mumbai, the league aims to get more audience. The American is slated to face off against Indian Doubles No.1 Rohan Bopanna in an exhibition match on December 13 in Mumbai. This would help to kickstart the league in January next year.
The sport got an elevated status as the Pickleball World Rankings (PWR) was rolled off the carpet in July. Presently the top spot in men's pickleball is occupied by Argentine Federico Staksrud. Former Top 10 tennis player Jack Sock is currently the World No. 10 in PWR. On the women's side, the top ranking is occupied by Anna Leigh Waters of the USA.
"I didn't even know the rules"- Andre Agassi on pickleball
Andre Agassi entered the sport of Pickleball without even knowing the rules of the game. However, he soon adapted to the new game and got passionate about it. The American claimed that taking up the sport of Pickleball has enhanced his life. Playing against better opponents has helped him improve his own game.
"I didn't even know the rules,"...I’m playing people that are better than me, pushing me...It’s added to my life on so many levels." said Agassi (via tennis.com)
Agassi was an instrumental figure in the Pickleball Slam event which took place in 2023. In that instance, he partnered with Andy Roddick and defeated the pair of John McEnroe and Michael Chang. In 2024, the American was joined by his wife and tennis royalty Steffi Graf, and the pair took on the team of John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova. Agassi and Garff won the match and took a hefty payday of a million dollars for their efforts.
Currently, there are 17 and 13 Americans in the Top 20 of the PWR for men's and Women's singles respectively. However, with the sport spreading to other countries, it is possible players from other countries will climb up the rankings.