Life in pickleball moves fast.

One minute you’re arguing about DUPR ratings and paddles, the next you’re watching Andre Agassi play Anna Leigh Waters on ESPN in front of a packed crowd in South Florida.

That’s Pickleball Slam. And yes—it’s back.

So what exactly is Pickleball Slam?

Pickleball Slam is not a tour stop. It is not trying to be the PPA or MLP. It lives in its own lane.

It is a made-for-TV, high-stakes exhibition that blends tennis legends with pickleball’s biggest names and puts them on one court, in primetime, with a $1 million purse on the line.

It is pickleball’s closest thing right now to a crossover main event.

A Quick Rewind on the Pickleball Slam Series

Pickleball Slam has evolved from a celebrity-style exhibition into a more intentional crossover event that mixes tennis legacy with pickleball star power.

Earlier editions leaned more heavily on tennis icons and nostalgic matchups. Over time, the series has started to bring in more current pickleball relevance and sharper storylines. That’s part of what makes Slam 4 interesting: it’s not just another exhibition, but a more defined version of how the series is trying to package the sport for a bigger audience.

That flexibility is part of what makes the Slam work. It’s less about tradition and more about creating a one-night, made-for-TV event built around star power, entertainment, and big-match energy.

Here’s a quick recap of previous Pickleball Slam events:

Pickleball Slam 1

Location: Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, Florida
Players: Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, John McEnroe, Michael Chang

Pickleball Slam 2

Location: Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, Florida
Players: Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova

Pickleball Slam 3

Location: Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
Players: Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Andy Roddick, Genie Bouchard, Marty Fish, John Isner

Pickleball Slam 4 Details

Date: April 15, 2026
Location: Hard Rock Live, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Florida
Broadcast: ESPN, 7 PM ET
Prize: $1 million winner-take-all

This Year’s Matchup

This year leans into a battle-of-the-sexes style format:

Team Tennis: Andre Agassi & James Blake
Team Pickleball: Anna Leigh Waters & Genie Bouchard

This is where things get interesting.

Agassi has not lost in this event yet. Anna Leigh Waters is the world No. 1 and the most dominant player in the sport right now. Not long ago, Agassi and Waters were on the same side of the net, playing mixed doubles together at the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships—now they are facing off.

Genie Bouchard has also fully committed to the transition from tennis to pickleball, which adds another layer to this matchup.

The format includes two singles matches and one doubles match. Bouchard faces Agassi while Waters plays Blake. Each singles match is worth one point, and the doubles match is worth two.

The winning team takes home the $1 million prize.

Why Pickleball Slam 4 Matters

Pickleball Slam is not trying to be the PPA Tour or Major League Pickleball. It operates in a different lane. This is about visibility.

It is about putting recognizable names on a big stage and making the sport easy for a wider audience to understand.

For casual fans, it is an entry point. For people already in pickleball, it is a look at how the sport is being packaged and presented at a national level.

And with South Florida hosting again, it is another sign that this market is becoming a consistent stop for some of the sport’s biggest moments.

We will be on-site for Pickleball Slam 4, bringing you a behind-the-scenes look at the entire event.

If you are in South Florida, this is one of the few chances to see a lineup like this in person. The setting, the crowd, and the pace of play all hit different live.

Pickleball Slam 4 Is Coming Back to Florida