Who is the controversial former tennis player who accompanied Andre Agassi at Australian Open 2024? All you need to know about Justin Gimelstob

Andre Agassi was accompanied by former tennis player Justin Gimelstob at the Australian Open. He was present with the former World No. 1 as they watched Novak Djokovic win his first-round match against Dino Prizmic.

Gimelstob had a very modest singles career in tennis, with a career-best ranking of 63. He never went beyond the third round of a Grand Slam, reaching that stage in three editions of Wimbledon and twice at the US Open. The American had a more successful career on the doubles circuit, winning 15 titles - 13 in men's doubles and two in mixed doubles.

Both of Gimelstob's mixed doubles titles came at Grand Slams as he won the Australian Open and French Open in 1998 with Venus Williams as his partner.

During his career, Gimelstob faced Andre Agassi four times, with the latter leading their head-to-head 3-1. The only time he beat the former World No. 1 was in their first encounter in Los Angeles in 1997, triumphing 7-5, 6-2.

Gimelstob retired from tennis in 2007 and has been involved in several controversies since. He expressed his hatred for Anna Kournikova while speaking on a radio show in in 2008 and said that he despised her and intended to make her cry in a then-upcoming mixed doubles event.

"Hate is a very strong word - I just despise her to the maximum level just below hate. I'm going to serve it right at the body, about 128 (mph), right into her midriff. If she's not crying by the time she comes off court, then I did not do my job," Gimelstob said.

In 2016, Gimelstob's wife Cary accused him of domestic abuse and filed a restraining order against him. She also stated that the former player placed a recording device in her bedroom.

"Justin also informed me that he had placed a video recording device in my bedroom and had recordings of me having sex with another man and intended to show them to [our son]," Cary Gimelstob said. "Justin also broke into the house I was living in and threatened to continue breaking into the house I was living in in the future."

Justin Gimelstob was arrested in 2018 on charges of battery for assaulting venture capitalist Randall Kaplan on Halloween, reportedly hitting him more than 50 times.

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Andre Agassi was present at the opening ceremony at Australian Open 2024

Ashleigh Barty and Andre Agassi (right) at the 2024 Australian Open

Andre Agassi was present at Melbourne for the opening ceremony of this year's Australian Open. He and Evonne Goolagong Cawley both brought out the men's and women's singles trophies respectively.

The American later walked out on court with Ashleigh Barty, with the two holding the trophies to start off the night session.

Agassi has attained more success at the Australian Open than at any other Grand Slam, with four titles to his name. He won his first title in Melbourne in 1995 by beating Pete Sampras in the final before winning in 2000, 2001 and 2003.