"I’m still trying to unlearn tennis, my body isn't quite ready to let that go" - Steffi Graf on having a 'hard time' preparing for Pickleball Slam 2

Steffi Graf has opened up about the challenges she faced while gearing up for Pickleball Slam 2.

Graf is set to join forces with her husband, Andre Agassi, for a blockbuster showdown against John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova in the second edition of the Pickleball Slam.

While Agassi and McEnroe squared off against each other in the inaugural edition last year, Sharapova and Graf will be making their pickleball debut at the event. The clash is set to take place on Sunday, February 4, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida.

Ahead of the highly anticipated event, Steffi Graf opened up about her challenging transition to pickleball. Despite Andre Agassi lavishing praise on her quick adaptation to the sport, the German revealed that she faced difficulty in 'unlearning' tennis, as pickleball required a more patient and deliberate approach.

"Goodness, I’m still trying to unlearn [tennis]. I have not had an easy time. I want to move around. I want to hit the ball. I don’t want to slow down and be patient, waiting for the right moment to attack," Steffi Graf told Sports Illustrated.

"I tend to want to keep my feet moving. That’s what I learned in tennis. My mind knows what I should be doing, but my body is not quite ready to let that tennis mind go," she added.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion also disclosed that she had a "hard time" readjusting to a competitive mindset. Graf expressed her desire to enjoy the experience instead of being solely focused on the competitive aspect.

"I have a bit of a hard time getting back into that [competitive] mode. I want to enjoy it. I love the challenge of it. I do like the competition, but I also don’t want to get too competitive," she said.

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Steffi Graf on partnering husband Andre Agassi for Pickleball Slam 2: "It’s been a challenge for me, a good challenge"

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf also opened up about her experience of training with her husband, Andre Agassi, for Pickleball Slam 2, disclosing how they supported each other when their frustrations boiled over during practice.

The German revealed that there were instances where they had thrown their paddles in irritation. However, she clarified that these moments weren't a result of anger towards each other.

"We know when we get to our boiling points or when we get upset with ourselves. We are able to pick each other up pretty well," Graf said in the same interview.

"But it has happened the last few months that a paddle kind of, you know, slipped out of the hand and just kind of went into flying into a corner. But that’s because we’re mad at ourselves. It’s been a challenge for me—a good challenge," she added.

Despite Steffi Graf facing challenges in making the transition from tennis to pickleball, Andre Agassi recently hailed her as his "secret weapon" against Maria Sharapova and John McEnroe.