Competitive vibes are hitting hard amid the excitement for the Pickleball Slam 3. “You and Genie got the ‘Big’ John Isner. Me and Stef got Mardy Fish. Well, we welcome Mardy Fish. And we also welcome the b–t-kicking that we’re gonna drop on you guys,” Andre Agassi said in a video posted by The Pickleball Slam on their Instagram four days ago. As Andy Roddick and Eugenie Bouchard are gearing up to replace Maria Sharapova and John McEnroe from last year, another interesting banter became the highlight.

In the video, originally posted by the Pickleball Slam’s official account on November 24th, Andre Agassi can be seen saying, “For me the calculus is knowing that she’s going to be only one really out there in the competitive environment, who has learned how to manage her blood pressure and nerves and energy.” A few hours ago, Eugenie Bouchard dropped a lighthearted yet sassy comment for the ATP legend Andre Agassi on her Instagram.

“@agassi sounds scared,” she wrote. Cause competition is competition! However, this is not the first time when Andre Agassi has praised Genie Bouchard. That time, too, Bouchard left a response for the two-time winner at the event.

While suggesting that the “transition” from tennis to pickleball was not easy, he said that he hoped she didn’t have an edge over there.  “To Stef’s point, I totally respect Genie for being one of the first ones to bridge that gap from tennis to pickle. The strength it takes, the courage it takes, to put yourself in a competitive environment, put yourself on the line in something that’s not terribly familiar to you, just shows her competitive (nature),” Agassi said as reported on November 16th. “They’re so nice. I don’t want to have to beat them in February,” responded Bouchard on her social media.

The third edition of the Pickleball Slam is set to feature four tennis legends competing for a massive $1 million prize. This exciting event will happen in Las Vegas and will be broadcast live on ESPN. Tennis icon Andre Agassi, alongside Steffi Graf, will return to defend his Pickleball Slam title. They’ll face off against former U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick and 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard. The action takes place on Sunday, February 16, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

This is the first time the tournament will be held in Las Vegas. The previous two events were hosted at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. While the Florida venue accommodated 4,500 fans, the Las Vegas edition is expected to welcome around a massive 6,750 audience and a possibility of more. Well, Bouchard wasn’t the only one to throw a bare challenge.

Andy Roddick takes a hilarious dig at Andre Agassi ahead of the Pickleball slam

In a video shared by the official Pickleball Slam account, Andy Roddick couldn’t resist taking a playful jab at Andre Agassi. The 2003 US Open champion, who won the event’s inaugural edition, partnering with Agassi, joked, “It was a weird thing for me to just totally carry Andre [Agassi] to victory and then he just kind of, I think he just kind of kicked me out of the event and went on with his business,” Roddick said. “I guess that’s what happens when you have a wife who’s the best of all time as an option.”

Roddick also expressed admiration for the energy and passion that events like the Pickleball Slam bring. “Those events [Pickleball Slam] are amazing for me because you have people in a room, whether it’s Andre and Steff, who are in kind of like full go mode again. They’re just doing stuff, which is amazing,” he further added. However, Roddick admitted he still gets Starstruck around Graf, even after knowing her for years.

“Like I’ve known Andre, and he’s been my idol for a long time, but I have a hard time being in Steff’s presence without being like incredibly starstruck. Steff is like a huge exception. I can’t be around her without feeling like everything I say is just idiotic, which it might be. I’m just more conscious of it,” he shared.

Ahead of the much-anticipated clash, both pairs will be looking to go all in on each other and try to win the prestigious title. Will Agassi manage to win his third in a row? Do let us know in the comments below!