National Pickleball Month Celebration: Junior PPA star Jack Loughridge hit the court with tennis great Andre Agassi on Saturday, April 12, at Life Time Green Valley in Henderson, Nevada. The event marked the first “Agassi Open Play Day,” held during National Pickleball Month to promote the fast-growing sport.
Pickleball Celebration at Life Time
The event was part of a more significant celebration across the U.S. Life Time invited players to enjoy open play on all 775 of its pickleball courts nationwide. Tennis legend Andre Agassi, who chairs the Life Time Racquet Sports Board, led the event in Henderson.
Eleven-year-old Jack Loughridge, a rising Junior PPA and JOOLA athlete, was one of the lucky players playing with Agassi. “Got to play and hang out with Mr. Andre Agassi – he’s not only an accomplished athlete, but very generous and super funny too,” wrote Loughridge on Instagram. “Always amazed at the connections made through this game with a funny name. Pickle on!”
View this post on Instagram
Star-Studded Event in Henderson
Along with Agassi and Loughridge, several well-known faces joined the festivities. Bahram Akradi, founder and CEO of Life Time, was present, along with UPA Tour pro Ryan Sherry and Maroon 5 guitarist and vocalist James Valentine.
Sherry also had a highlight moment—playing doubles with Agassi’s son, Jaden. Jaden Agassi, a former USC pitcher, recently played for Team Germany in the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers.
Agassi and Graf Promote Pickleball Worldwide
Andre Agassi and his wife, Steffi Graf, are strong supporters of pickleball. They recently joined the 2025 JOOLA Pickleball Legends Tour in Vietnam and China. The tour helped showcase the sport in Asia through clinics, exhibitions, and product demos.
They were joined by top pickleball stars Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Brooke Buckner, Tyson McGuffin, Collin Johns, and Zoey Wang.
What This Event Means for Pickleball
This nationwide celebration helped raise awareness of pickleball’s growing popularity. Featuring stars from different sports and music brought more attention to the game. Events like this could lead to even more young athletes, like Loughridge, discovering new opportunities through pickleball.
News in Brief: National Pickleball Month Celebration
Junior PPA player Jack Loughridge joined tennis legend Andre Agassi at Life Time Green Valley for the first “Agassi Open Play Day,” held April 12. The event celebrated National Pickleball Month with open play at Life Time’s 775 courts. Other stars included Ryan Sherry, James Valentine, and Jaden Agassi.