Novak Djokovic meets ex-coach Andre Agassi at Australian Open following 1R win, shares warm embrace with American

As Novak Djokovic began his pursuit of his 25th Grand Slam title at the 2024 Australian Open on Sunday (January 14), it was also a time of reunion between the Serb and his former coach Andre Agassi.

Djokovic kicked off his Melbourne Slam campaign with a win against 18-year-old qualifier Dino Prizmic in the first round. It was the Serb's longest-ever first-round match in a Grand Slam.

Having competed in 18 previous editions, the 24-time Grand Slam champion didn't just play on a familiar court at the 2024 Australian Open; he also played in the presence of a familiar face — his ex-coach Agassi.

A video was posted on YouTube that featured Djokovic walking through the tunnel with his bags following his win over Prizmic. Djokovic then saw Agassi and they both looked happy. The duo exchanged a few words, hugged each other and subsequently posed for pictures.

A few hours later, Andre Agassi posted a photo on his Instagram story that featured him, Djokovic, and former American tennis pro Justin Gimelstob. The Serb later reposted the same picture:

Andre Agassi joined Djokovic's coaching team in 2017. The Serb won the Eastbourne International under the American's guidance but was knocked out in the Australian Open fourth round before parting ways in March 2018.

Agassi remains the most decorated tennis player ever to have coached Djokovic. During his active years, the 53-year-old won eight Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal.

A look into Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic's records at the Australian Open

Novak Djokovic pictured with his 10th Australian Open trophy

Andre Agassi retired from professional tennis in 2006 after being eliminated from the US Open. The American won 60 titles during his two-decade career, including four Australian Open titles.

Agassi lifted his first Melbourne Slam trophy in 1995, defeating the defending champion Pete Sampras in the final. He went on to win the title three more times (in 2000, 2001 and 2003). Agassi's win-loss record at the Australian Open stands at an impressive 48-5.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is the most decorated player at the Australian Open in the Open Era, winning the tournament 10 times so far. His first title at the hardcourt Slam came in 2008, followed by wins in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 and most recently in 2023.

About the author

Joseph is a Tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over 4 years of experience in sports journalism. He holds a Law degree, but became a sports journalist out of his love for sports.

Joseph follows genuine pages on social media platforms, and verifies information via multiple sources to ensure accuracy in his articles. To stay up to date with the latest developments in the sport, he follows the WTA and ATP closely. His methods have helped him garner over 1.6 million views in just seven months at Sportskeeda.

He's a die-hard fan of Novak Djokovic, admiring not only his exceptional on-court skills, but also his off-court persona. For Joseph, the Serb is also the rightful recipient of the ‘GOAT’ tag and credits his achievement of 24 Grand Slam titles and reign of 422 weeks as World No.1.

The British culture and strict uniformity at the Wimbledon Championships make the event his favorite on the tennis calendar. Outside of tennis, Joseph passionately supports Manchester United and considers Lionel Messi the greatest sportsman of all time. In his leisure time, he enjoys expanding his horizons with documentaries, particularly those focusing on politics.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh