Eugenie Bouchard relishing 'epic' debut with £750k on the line for ex-Wimbledon finalist
Eugenie Bouchard is levelling up her career away from the tennis court.
The war of words has already started after Eugenie Bouchard and Andy Roddick were announced as Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf's challengers in the 2025 Pickleball Slam. Bouchard has expressed her excitement ahead of making her debut at the popular event, which pits tennis icons together on the pickleball court.
It's a fast-growing racket sport which involves two or four players using a smooth-faced paddle and a perforated, hollow plastic ball on a much smaller court than tennis.
The inaugural Pickleball Slam took place in 2023 where Roddick and Agassi triumphed in an event that also featured John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova.
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This year, Agassi was instead paired with his wife, Graf, and enjoyed success again, winning the mixed doubles event to pocket £750,000.
On February 16, 2025, Las Vegas will host the third event. Roddick will, this time, face Agassi and Graf, teaming up with Bouchard at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Reacting to the showdown's announcement on her Instagram story, Bouchard posted: "This is gonna be epic."
Agassi, meanwhile, jokingly claimed that he felt sorry for the Canadian and his former partner, Roddick.
He said: "I can't wait to return with Steffi and defend our title in February at Slam 3.
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"It's an incredible opportunity to play in my hometown of Las Vegas, where the stakes are high, and the energy is electric.
"In this city, the odds are always in our favor, and I almost feel a little sorry for Andy and Genie."
Roddick didn't let Agassi's confident statement slide, responding by claiming he carried the former world No. 1 to their maiden victory but admitting his wife was a "force to be reckoned with."
The Pickleball Slam has proven popular, airing live on ESPN in its first two years. In 2023, the event peaked at around 800,000 viewers. This year, that peak rose to almost one million.
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Florida's Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has hosted the first two Slams, with 4,500 spectators in attendance.
Las Vegas looks set to accommodate almost 7,000, although an event organiser has suggested that the capacity could increase.
Bouchard may be making her debut in the event but she has good reason to feel confident, considering she's the only professional pickleball player in the doubles match.
The 30-year-old has continued to compete as a WTA competitor while she plays on the PPA Tour.
