The inaugural Pickleball Slam back in April was a resounding success; it turns out that seeing tennis legends hit the pickleball court makes for quite the spectacle! In the first tournament, we saw Andre Agassi team up with Andy Roddick to face off against John McEnroe and Michael Chang.
Round 2 will see the return of the newfound pickleball rivalry between McEnroe and Agassi, but both will have new partners while duking it out for the $1 million purse. Agassi will partner with his wife, Steffi Graf, who is largely considered one of the greatest women’s singles players ever. McEnroe is teaming up with former No. 1 tennis player in the world, Maria Sharapova.
Pickleball Slam 2, set for February 4, 2024, will once again take place at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The event is hosted and produced by Horizon Sports & Experiences and InsideOut Sports & Entertainment. The CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences, David Levy, stated in a recent interview that he believes the success of the first Pickleball Slam will resonate within its sequel.
“Following the success of the inaugural Pickleball Slam, we’re excited to once again partner with and return to the Hard Rock and present Slam 2 in primetime on ESPN, an ideal time slot coming out of the network’s coverage of the NFL Pro Bowl and an NBA regular-season game. It’s great to have both John and Andre return for Slam 2, In pairing them up with Stefanie and Maria, two of the greatest and most competitive players in the history of tennis, there’s sure to be no shortage of incredible action and entertaining moments on the court.”
David Levy, CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences
As Levy mentions, the addition of Sharapova and Graf is a natural fit for the event, as they are two of the top-performing women’s singles players of all time. Mixed doubles in pickleball is beloved for how dynamic the competition can be, so we’re excited to see four tennis superstars hit the court in the mixed environment!
McEnroe’s new pickleball partner, Maria Sharapova, is one of only ten women ever to achieve a career Grand Slam, meaning that she’s won all four major championships in women’s singles. Throughout her career, she’s won 36 titles in total, including five major titles, and became the world’s No. 1 player in 2005 at the age of 18.
Stefanie Graf will join her husband on the pickleball court for the Pickleball Slam, but the two are best known for their dominance in tennis. Together, they have a combined 30 Grand Slam singles titles, 22 of which are Graf’s, making them one of the winningest couples in tennis history.
“When I watched the inaugural Pickleball Slam in April and stepped onto the court, I was hooked. Andre and I can’t wait to get back out on the court together to face off against Maria and John.”
Stefanie Graf
The event will also feature the return of the Amateur Slam tournament challenge ahead of the main event, allowing DUPR-ranked amateur doubles teams a chance to compete for a cash prize and face off against two tennis legends!
The prize purse has yet to be announced for Pickleball Slam 2, but the first tournament’s was $10,000 with a $2,000 registration cost per team. More details regarding registration for the amateur tournament will be posted on the Pickleball Slam’s website.
The main event will be broadcast live on ESPN on February 4, 2024, at 8:30 pm EST. Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster for those interested in seeing the event in person.
