World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters is partnering with tennis legend Andre Agassi in mixed doubles this week in Florida.

While Waters is pickleball’s most dominant athlete at just 18 years old, Agassi is making his professional pickleball debut at age 55 after celebrating his birthday on Tuesday.

It’s an interesting tandem to say the least, but Waters knows that playing with Agassi will shine a spotlight on pickleball that garners plenty of attention worldwide.

That’s why she reached out to the eight-time Grand Slam singles champion in the first place - because like her, he's a pickleball ambassador with a genuine passion for the sport.

"Usually with people with Andre’s level of fame, I don’t get super nervous when I’m talking to them, but when I had my first call with Andre kind of explaining what I wanted to do, I was so nervous talking to him. I was kind of like, 'Oh my gosh, I’m talking to Andre Agassi on the phone. This is crazy,'" shared Waters, during a joint video interview with Agassi hosted by CNBC’s Jessica Golden earlier this month. "I was like, 'It would be a great way to not only grow the sport, but also kind of show people how well we play together on the court,' and luckily he said yes. I don’t know what I would’ve done if he said no, but I’m just super excited to have the opportunity to play with him and kind of help grow the sport."

Agassi jumped at the opportunity to join forces with Waters, of course.

But he thought a practice session was the best place to start for both parties involved since he isn't exactly as skilled as her regular mixed doubles partner on the PPA Tour, Ben Johns.

"Pickleball has been such a big part of not just my life, but my family’s life for the last couple of years. I’ve seen what it’s done to our community here locally [in Las Vegas]. It’s given us a chance to grow even our friendships really. It’s such a community-driven activity that I got into it in a very authentic way. I just kept pushing myself. I was fascinated by the idea of having to unlearn a lot of things that were kind of drilled into my head over the years," explained Agassi. "When Anna Leigh called, I was like, ‘Let me come practice with you first so you know what you’re getting into.’ She’s probably sick of winning so much, and that’s why she called to ask me to play... For me to go out there and just do my best to stretch my skin, I mean, when was the last time you’ve ever done something for the first time? It’s fewer and further between."

Well, kudos to him for taking the leap.

Before contacting Agassi, though, Waters did her homework by watching his pickleball clips on YouTube, so she already knew that he had serious game.

And it seems like their workout went rather smoothly.

"Just from a style of play, not from an ability level, we both tend to air on the aggressive side, and I think that works pretty well in this case," said Agassi. "I just wanted Anna Leigh to know what I was and what I wasn’t capable of, what she can and what she cannot count on, and I figured once she puts that data in her mind, everything she’s given her life to will sort of organize it - and she seems to react in real time pretty darn well."

It would only be natural for the 1996 Olympic gold medalist to be a little jittery competing alongside Waters at the outset.

Nevertheless, getting a few points under his belt should do the trick.

"I'm sickly nervous, but I know that feeling pretty well over the years. However, in tennis, I’m much more familiar with how to direct those nerves, and so pickle is so nuanced and sensitive that if you don’t find a healthy place to put that blood pressure, you can kind of spook yourself," noted Agassi. "I’m going to do my best to be my best, and hope I don’t stop Anna Leigh from what I expect her to do, which is most of the work."

At the end of the day, winning is a secondary concern for this duo.

Giving pickleball another opportunity to thrive matters most. 

"To a large degree, I probably have no business being out there, but the thing that overrides the potential of humiliating myself is the idea that we can really grow the sport," insisted Agassi. "It’s been a passion of mine. This is just too good of an opportunity to pass up on."