Agassi Serves Up Pickleball Fun with Rising Junior Star for National Month
What's the Score?
Tennis icon Andre Agassi recently traded his tennis racquet for a pickleball paddle to headline the inaugural "Agassi Open Play Day" at Life Time Green Valley in Henderson, Nevada. This special event was held on a Saturday as part of the nationwide celebrations for National Pickleball Month. Agassi shared the courts with enthusiasts of all ages, including 11-year-old junior PPA standout and JOOLA athlete Jack Loughridge.
Hit it deeper!
Life Time facilities across the United States joined in the National Pickleball Month festivities by hosting simultaneous open play sessions on their impressive total of 775 pickleball courts. As the chairman of the Life Time Racquet Sports Board, Andre Agassi took a central role in the Henderson event, actively participating in games with numerous attendees, with young Jack Loughridge among them. Loughridge, clearly thrilled by the experience, took to Instagram to share his excitement about playing with and spending time with the legendary Agassi, describing him as not only an "accomplished athlete" but also "very generous and super funny". He also reflected on the unexpected connections forged through the sport with the "funny name".
Joining Agassi and Loughridge at the event were notable figures such as Bahram Akradi, the founder and CEO of Life Time, UPA Tour professional pickleball player Ryan Sherry, and James Valentine, the guitarist and vocalist of the renowned band Maroon 5. Sherry also shared highlights from the "Open Play Day" on his Instagram, including a photo where he posed with Jaden Agassi, Andre Agassi's son. Jaden, a former pitcher for USC who also played for Team Germany in the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in March, teamed up with Sherry for a doubles match.
Andre Agassi and his wife, tennis great Steffi Graf, have become prominent figures in the pickleball community, actively promoting the sport globally. They recently participated in the 2025 JOOLA Pickleball Legends Tour, which included stops in Vietnam and China, aiming to showcase pickleball in Asia. They were joined by top pickleball professionals like Ben Johns, Anna Bright, Brooke Buckner, Tyson McGuffin, Collin Johns, and Zoey Wang, conducting clinics, exhibition matches, and product demonstrations.
The World Pickleball Verdict
Andre Agassi’s involvement in the "Agassi Open Play Day" underscores the growing mainstream appeal and crossover potential of pickleball, attracting icons from other racquet sports to embrace and promote its growth. His engagement with a young talent like Jack Loughridge not only provided a memorable experience for the junior player but also highlighted the intergenerational appeal of pickleball. The nationwide participation in Life Time's open play events for National Pickleball Month signifies the increasing popularity and accessibility of the sport across the country. Agassi and Graf's active ambassadorship on the global stage further solidifies pickleball's position as a sport with significant international potential.