Anna Leigh Waters and Andre Agassi Team-Up: Tennis legend Andre Agassi and pickleball star Anna Leigh Waters teamed up for the US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida. The pair played in the mixed pro division but were eliminated after two matches on Wednesday, ending Agassi’s professional pickleball participation.
Agassi, 54, and Waters, 18, defeated Stevie Petropouleas and Tristan Dussault 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 in their first match. However, their run was cut short after a loss to Len Yang and Trang Huynh-McClain in three sets: 11-7, 4-11, 7-11.
Unlikely Duo Draws Attention
The pairing of Waters and Agassi turned heads due to their 36-year age difference. Waters is one of pickleball’s top young talents, while Agassi is a former tennis world No. 1 and an eight-time Grand Slam champion.
Waters typically competes in mixed doubles with Ben Johns. But US Open Pickleball rules required each team to include one player under 50 and one over 50, prompting the new partnership.
Strategic Choice to Grow the Game
Waters researched Agassi before choosing him as her partner, watching videos of him playing pickleball on YouTube.
“We both tend to err on the aggressive side, and I think that works. Andre’s goals are to grow the sport of pickleball, and that’s a huge goal of mine. I thought if we partnered together, this would be a really awesome way to grow the sport.” – (Waters)
Looking Ahead
Though their US Open run ended early, the Waters-Agassi pairing brought new attention to the game. The mix of tennis fame and pickleball youth could spark further cross-sport collaborations. Agassi’s interest in promoting the game may lead to future appearances, as pickleball continues to expand.
News in Brief: Anna Leigh Waters and Andre Agassi Team-Up
Tennis great Andre Agassi joined rising star Anna Leigh Waters for his pro pickleball debut at the US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples. They won their first match but lost in the second round. Their unique pairing, due to tournament age rules, brought excitement and attention to the fast-growing sport.
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