Ben Shelton and Andre Agassi all smiles as they pose together at Australian Open 2024

Ben Shelton recently met and posed with eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi at the 2024 Australian Open.

The four-time Australian Open champion, Agassi, made a special appearance in Melbourne as an esteemed guest for the trophy presentation ceremony.

The Australian Open's official Instagram account shared a picture of Shelton's encounter with Agassi on Monday, January 15. In the picture, both Americans can be seen smiling as they pose for the camera.

"The apprentice and the master," the post was captioned.

Shelton had a mixed start to the 2024 season. He participated in two ATP 250 tournaments — the Brisbane International and the ASB Classic — before heading to the Australian Open.

In Brisbane, Shelton lost the first round to Roman Safiullin in three sets. In Auckland, he was the top seed and received a bye in the first round. He then defeated Fabian Marozsan in straight sets in the second round. The 21-year-old continued his dominance in the quarterfinals against Roberto Carballes Baena, winning the match in straight sets.

In the semifinals, Shelton lost in straight sets to eventual runner-up Taro Daniel, who had beaten Max Purcell, Alexandre Muller, and Aleksandar Vukic in his previous matches. Shelton started his 2024 Australian Open campaign with a strong performance, defeating Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets in the first round.

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Ben Shelton faces Christopher O’Connell at the 2024 Australian Open 2R

Ben Shelton at the 2024 Australian Open

Ben Shelton will take on Christopher O’Connell in the second round of the 2024 Australian Open on Wednesday.

Shelton, currently ranked 16th in the world, reached the semifinals of the US Open and won his first title in Tokyo last year. He also made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2023, where he lost to compatriot Tommy Paul in four sets.

Shelton is known for his powerful serve, aggressive baseline game, and one-handed backhand. He is coached by his father, Bryan Shelton — a former professional player and college coach.

O’Connell, currently ranked World No. 68, reached the third round of the 2022 Australian Open and the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. He made the quarterfinal in Adelaide earlier this month, where he lost to Sebastian Korda in straight sets.

This will be the first meeting between Ben Shelton and Christopher O’Connell, who have contrasting styles and experiences. The winner will face either 20th seed Adrian Mannarino or Jaume Munar in the third round.