MIAMI — If tennis and pickleball are adversaries as some say — the traditional racket sport vs. the upstart with the funny name — then mark Sunday as the first major battle in the war, with the volley of shots fired in South Florida.
John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Michael Chang are retired tennis stars with 17 Grand Slam wins among them. But Sunday they will be on the other side competing for $1 million in prize money in the inaugural Pickleball Slam at the Hard Rock Live near Hollywood. With starpower and televised live on ESPN at noon prior to NCAA Final Four women’s basketball, this will be the biggest splash of national attention yet for pickleball in its young , fledgling history.
A few miles south at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday will be the men’s championship match of the Miami Open tennis tournament, televised by the Tennis Channel.
