“We don’t play pickleball against each other. We prefer to be on the same side of the court,” Graf tells PEOPLE
Married tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf tell PEOPLE about their shared love of playing pickleball
The couple won the Pickleball Slam on ESPN in February
Graf reveals her and Agassi’s favorite ways to entertain company at their home in Las Vegas
Move over tennis!
These days, married Hall of Fame tennis stars Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi pass up tennis for pickleball, which they play at least three times a week. Their interest in the sport began during the pandemic and has grown rapidly ever since.
“We like that pickleball is a community driven sport, “ Agassi tells PEOPLE Saturday at The Breakers Palm Beach during a “Grand Slam Weekend” to celebrate the iconic resort’s new $12 million, 16-court racquet sports complex, which includes 12 tennis courts, two pickleball courts, and two padel courts.
“People who play pickleball improve their game quickly. While all types of sports lovers are playing, the age keeps getting younger.”
Pickleball, a game where players use paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a net, offered Graf, 55, and Agassi, 54, a new sport to conquer with fewer chances for injury than tennis.
“Andre still plays tennis, but I don’t much anymore,” Graf, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles during her tennis career, tells PEOPLE of their Las Vegas-based lifestyle. “We really liked learning a new sport during the pandemic and meeting new friends through pickleball.”
Their one rule, though? “We don’t play each other. We prefer to be on the same side of the court.”
In February, the couple won the Pickleball Slam, one of the premier events in pickleball broadcast on ESPN. Now they want more people to play and grow to love the sport as much as they do
In fact, Agassi and Graf are headed to Vietnam and China this week to promote pickleball. “We really want to grow the game,” Agassi says. “When we are not traveling we practice pickleball a great deal. Since we both play, it’s fun to do together.”
In their rare relaxation time, Graf and Agassi like to host barbecues at their Las Vegas home with friends and family. In addition to their children Jaden, 23, and Jaz, 21, they have other family members living close.
“We love to entertain casually, and especially like to smoke and grill,” Graf says.
They also have their own foundations. Graf’s, based in Germany, provides therapeutic care for traumatized and persecuted children and their families. Agassi’s transforms public education for underserved kids. Plus, he is involved with a namesake K-12 public charter school in Las Vegas, and other educational projects.
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Not abandoning the sport that made him famous, Agassi will become the Laver Cup’s new Team World Captain this fall.
During their stay at the Breakers, the couple participated in a Hall of Fame Exhibition tennis match Friday against fellow tennis stars Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters, who beat them 10 to 7. But it didn’t hamper their fun in the sun. “I was impressed with the hotel’s new complex and enjoyed playing on their beautiful pristine grass court,” Graf says.
The entire weekend benefitted First Serve USA, a charity dedicated to empowering youth through education, life skills, training and mentorship.