It’s been 52 years since Billie Jean King conquered Bobby Riggs in straight sets in the legendary “Battle of the Sexes” at Houston’s Astrodome, a night that transcended sport and shook the very core of American culture. With 90 million eyes watching worldwide, it wasn’t just a match; it was a movement. Now, pickleball is reviving that spirit next April. The stage may be smaller, but the fire burns just as bright, and the reward? A jaw-dropping $1 million prize awaits the victors, poised to carve their own chapter in sporting history as Andre Agassi takes center stage for the historic showdown.

Pickleball’s grand stage is set for a collision of legends and generations as the sport’s crown jewel, the Pickleball Slam, returns with a twist that promises both spectacle and substance. In a battle that revives the spirit of the “Battle of the Sexes,” pickleball GOAT Anna Leigh Waters will lock horns with eight-time tennis Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi in what’s being hailed as a showdown for the ages.

Waters, just 18 and already the face of modern pickleball, will team up with Wimbledon finalist turned pickleball pro Eugenie Bouchard to take on 55-year-old Agassi and former world No. 4 James Blake at the fourth edition of the Pickleball Slam. For Blake, a 10-time ATP title winner, this isn’t just a cameo, it’s a return to the kind of high-stakes theater that defined his rivalry-filled tennis career.

The spectacle unfolds on April 15, 2026, broadcast live on ESPN from Hollywood, Florida, at 7 p.m. ET. The format mirrors tennis’ Laver Cup, built to keep the tension alive until the final serve. Two singles matches, Bouchard vs. Agassi and Waters vs. Blake, will set the tone, each worth one point, before the doubles finale takes center stage, carrying two points and all the glory.

For Bouchard, the event bridges her worlds: the precision of tennis and the dynamism of pickleball. Though now a pickleball pro, she remains best known for her trailblazing run to the Wimbledon final and her fearless competitive fire. The Pickleball Slam has long blurred the line between sports, with past editions featuring tennis greats. Last year, Agassi and his wife, 22-time Grand Slam legend Steffi Graf, took on Andy Roddick and Bouchard in a blockbuster pairing that captivated fans across both games.

This year, though, the energy feels different, more daring, more personal. “Many people still think the top women’s players couldn’t beat the top men’s players in any racket sport. We are ready to prove them wrong,” Waters declared. “Genie and I have a lot of respect for Andre and James’ legacy, but they’re about to learn how hard it really is to master the sport we play for a living.”

Agassi, ever the competitor, isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. The Hall of Famer recently made his professional pickleball debut a day after turning 55, winning alongside Waters in the mixed pro division at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. “I’ve enjoyed the challenge of competing in a new sport and am proud of winning three Pickleball Slams in a row,” he said. “I’m excited to partner with James and ready to defend my title against Anna Leigh and Genie.”

And as for the question fans can’t stop asking: why not face off against his legendary wife, Steffi Graf, in the ultimate “Battle of the Sexes” redux? 

Agassi, well, laughs it off. After all, facing the fiercest competitor he’s ever known might be the only match he’d rather avoid.

Andre Agassi explains why he won’t face Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf walked away from tennis in 1999 at the absolute height of her reign: 22 Grand Slam titles, the most in the Open Era at the time. Andre Agassi followed a few years later in 2006, closing his career with eight Slams and a legacy that reshaped American tennis.

In 2001, the two icons tied their stories together, choosing love over rivalry. Since then, they’ve built a serene, family-centered life with their children, Jaden and Jaz, far from the glare of center court, yet never far from the spirit of competition.

Now, years later, that competitive flame has quietly reignited through pickleball, a sport that’s given them a new kind of partnership. But while fans might dream of a “Battle of the Sexes” sequel between the two legends, Agassi recently made it clear why such a showdown won’t happen.

In a Instagram story back in April, Agassi reposted a Us Weekly feature, thanking them with the caption: “Thanks for the feature on @lifetime.pickleball @usweekly.” When asked why he and Graf don’t go head-to-head, his response carried both humor and honesty. “We’re much better together. When we’re against each other, she drops her level and I drop mine. We spiral downward against each other. With each other, we help.”

Agassi also reflected on how pickleball gave their relationship something beautifully new. “When this game sort of originally caught on… everybody thinks it’s for old people, and then it’s like it’s gotten so much younger, so I feel like I can still get better at something, which is really cool. But then, to do it with her, it gives us a bonding experience.”

And now, as the Pickleball Slam looms, Agassi stands on the edge of history once again. With three titles already to his name, can he etch his fourth straight triumph, not just for glory, but for the love of the game that keeps him young?