Tennis fans have been vehemently protesting the growing importance being given to pickleball in recent months, particularly in the United States. And with the latest Pickleball Slam event, the protests have intensified even further.The Pickleball Slam saw American tennis legends Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, John McEnroe and Michael Chang battle it out over three matches. The event, broadcast on ESPN, took place at the same time as the 2023 Miami Open final between Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev on Sunday (April 2).Tennis fans took to Twitter to mark their annoyance at the growing support the paddle sport is receiving from within the tennis world itself. Bastien Fachan, author of the book 'Big Three,' made his views clear, tweeting:"Embarrassing for everyone involved."Bastien Fachan@BastienFachanEmbarrassing for everyone involved twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN87941This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrEmbarrassing for everyone involved twitter.com/espn/status/16…Another fan urged ESPN to divert attention from pickleball back to tennis, claiming that the latter currently has "growing storylines.""Please pour some of this attention and energy back into tennis. The sport is filled with growing storylines right now and your platform obviously has the reach to amplify them," they wrote.Myles David@TunedIntoTennis@espn @pickleballslam Please pour some of this attention and energy back into tennis. The sport is filled with growing storylines right now and your platform obviously has the reach to amplify them. 🙂43@espn @pickleballslam Please pour some of this attention and energy back into tennis. The sport is filled with growing storylines right now and your platform obviously has the reach to amplify them. 🙂🎾Here are a few more fan reactions to the growing popularity of pickleball:ro ☀️@rowakinathis is what people play at the retirement home please give it up twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN491This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrthis is what people play at the retirement home please give it up twitter.com/espn/status/16…🦆 (2-1) (9-7-1)@cantguarddurant@espn @pickleballslam Stanton just hit a ball 485 feet and you post pickleball30@espn @pickleballslam Stanton just hit a ball 485 feet and you post pickleballGerry Marzorati@marzoTennisFor what it’s worth: Sure, play pickleball. Play ANYTHING. But watching pickleball on TV or in an arena? Watching tennis is watching Beyoncé. Watching pickleball is watching karaoke. twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN131This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrFor what it’s worth: Sure, play pickleball. Play ANYTHING. But watching pickleball on TV or in an arena? Watching tennis is watching Beyoncé. Watching pickleball is watching karaoke. twitter.com/espn/status/16…nemanja@nemanjaYVRThis is embarrassing twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN6185This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrThis is embarrassing twitter.com/espn/status/16…Audrey@audreyveronneThis is embarrassing. And for ESPN to show this and former big tennis players to do this AT THE SAME TIME as a Miami Open final when they know tennis is having issues with viewership? Shameful twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN4185This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrThis is embarrassing. And for ESPN to show this and former big tennis players to do this AT THE SAME TIME as a Miami Open final when they know tennis is having issues with viewership? Shameful twitter.com/espn/status/16…GS Tennis News Today@gstntodaythere was a time when ESPN showcased the Miami Open finals… now here we are twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN4185This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrthere was a time when ESPN showcased the Miami Open finals… now here we are twitter.com/espn/status/16…sarah@zszsarahwhy are they pushing pickeball so badly who’s behind this how much are they getting paid twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN2185This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrwhy are they pushing pickeball so badly who’s behind this how much are they getting paid 😭 twitter.com/espn/status/16…Arjun Narayan@narayan_arjunthis embarrassing to air this on ESPN twitter.com/espn/status/16…ESPN@espnThis pickleball rally John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point : 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN1185This pickleball rally 😱John McEnroe was amped up after scoring a point 🔋📺: 2023 @pickleballslam on ESPN https://t.co/QeP6TANeOrthis embarrassing to air this on ESPN twitter.com/espn/status/16…"Tennis and pickleball don't have to be competitors" - Andre AgassiAndre Agassi at the 2018 Australian OpenAndre Agassi, who took part in the latest Pickleball Slam event, recently opined that tennis and pickleball do not have to compete with each other. The American legend suggested a mutual co-existence instead.While reinforcing his preference for tennis, Agassi claimed that playing other racquet sports can be a "really fun thing.""Tennis and pickleball don't have to be competitors. We're really not. I'm biased [towards] tennis because it's given me my livelihood, but transferring tennis skills to other racquet sports can be a really fun thing to do," Agassi said. The eight-time Grand Slam champion also noted some differences between the two sports, calling pickleball the "antithesis" of tennis."I would say [pickleball] is very unique in that it's the antithesis of tennis in so many ways. In pickleball, you have to let the ball come to you; rather, you go to it in many instances. Those adjustments can be challenging and fun," he added.In the Pickleball Slam event, Agassi lost to John McEnroe in the singles match (15-13, 16-14). However, he made up for it in the doubles, partnering with Roddick to outclass the pairing of McEnroe and Chang (21-15, 21-23, 12-10).