Andre Agassi to make pro pickleball debut with Anna Leigh Waters at US Open Pickleball Championships

Since pickleball’s sprout into sporting popularity, it’s frequently crossed over with its sister racquet sport, tennis.

Jack Sock, Genie Bouchard, Sam Querrey and Donald Young are former tennis standouts now competing on the professional pickleball tour. The latest to join the PPA is the biggest star yet, and his pickleball footprint has already been established.

Andre Agassi is set to team up with 18-year-old pro pickler Anna Leigh Waters, who’s highly regarded at being the greatest women’s player of all time with 173 PPA titles to her name across singles, doubles and mixed doubles—148 of them gold.

Read More: “Pickleball breaks down cultural barriers” believes Agassi

The two will make their mixed doubles partnership debut at the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Fla.

“It was very apparent that Anna Leigh was tired of winning,” Agassi said upon announcing their partnership. “She’s right up there with the greatest ever in what she does and the idea of challenging myself to not screw things up for her is daunting.”

Waters comes into the US Open as the defending women’s doubles champion, hoping to shake up the mixed doubles draw with Agassi.

Read More: Graf and Agassi win $1 million at Pickleball Slam 3 over Bouchard and Roddick

Ahead of the US Open is Major League Pickleball Orlando, where Waters competes with New Jersey 5s teammates Will Howells, Zane Navratil, Craig Johnson, Meghan Dizon and Christa Gecheva.

Their first match Thursday is against the Columbus Sliders, led by Roscoe Bellamy, Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, Parris Todd, Lea Jansen and Marcela Hones.

Coverage of MLP Orlando kicks off today on Pickleballtv, click here to tune into all the action through championship Sunday.