John McEnroe playing pickleball ? “ You cannot be serious !” The legendary seven-time Grand Slam champion shortened his stroke and changed his equipment of choice and joined tennis pals Andre Agassi , Andy Roddick and Michael Chang at the inaugural Pickleball Slam at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood , Florida . Never before has the sport of pickleball , widely regarded now as the world ’ s fastestgrowing sport , attracted a collection of tennis talent like it did at this $ 1 million extravaganza .
But Johnny Mac , the tennis Hall of Famer , still relishes his roots . “ Tennis is my game . But pickleball is something I have been enjoying with friends because it ’ s sort of an equalizer . You can learn and pick it up and be reasonably good at it ,” he said . “ My friends come , and they think they can beat me . They forget I know something about the geometry of a court . I do like the camaraderie of pickleball . Playing for $ 1 million , that is enjoyable also . But the cement court ain ’ t exactly ideal for a 64-year-old man at this point .”
Agassi , the eight-time major champion and former Nick Bollettieri prodigy when his camp was flourishing in Bradenton , Florida , retired from tennis in 2006 and first picked up a paddle with a few of his friends last fall .
“ As for the balance of tennis and pickleball these days , my body can ’ t abide by the rotating and thrusting of tennis as much . So , pickleball has entered my life and I picked it up pretty quickly and then realized how challenging it is when you start pushing yourself and playing up ,” he said .
While tennis ’ elite have taken on a European flair for nearly two decades now with the likes of Roger Federer , Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic alternating as the world ’ s best , it was Andy Roddick who was the last American men ’ s champion to ascend to # 1 in the world at the age of 21 . Winner of the 2003 US Open , Roddick was the youngest American to hold the sport ’ s top ranking since computer rankings were started in 1973 .
The final combatant in the Pickleball Slam was Michael Chang , who 34 years ago captured the elusive ( for an American ) French Open title at just 17 years old . He remains today the youngest male ever to win a major title . He was looking forward to hitting the courts with some of his former opponents who won some hardfought matches against him . Prior to the event , he said , “ I have been thinking for years how I can avenge some of these losses , particularly to Andre and even a couple to Andy . Now , I ’ ve got my chance , the Pickleball Slam , and I have a partner with the best hands in tennis , John McEnroe . Bring it on , baby .”
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PHOTOS CREDIT : SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO HOLLYWOOD
Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick are all smiles after winning the inaugural Pickleball Slam .
MAY / JUNE 2023 | MAGAZINE 51