Roberto Bautista-Agut vs Ben Shelton Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Australian Open

Prediction published on 13/01/2024, 14:52  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 13/01/2024 at 15:52 in ATP Australian Open Predictions

2023 quarter finalist Ben Shelton takes on unseeded Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round of the Australian Open. Up next for the winner is a second round match against either Chris O'Connell or Cristian Garin, both of whom are unseeded. Shelton is the 16th seed for this first Grand Slam of the year but last year got to the last eight as an unseeded player. The American also got to the last four of the US Open, both being hard court tournaments. Now aged 21, Shelton also won the Japan Open last October beating Aslan Karatsev in the final. Shelton's last tournet saw him get to the semi-finals of the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Roberto Bautista Agut is currently 51st in the rankings but down to 72nd in the live list. That's because the Spaniard is defending the points earned when reaching the fourth round of this Grand Slam event last year. Agut was also a quarter finalist in the 2019 Australian Open. The rest of the Grand Slams didn't go well for him in 2023 with just one win at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and then missing the US Open. The 35-year-old has played one tournament this year, getting to the quarter finals of an ATP 250 event in Hong Kong.  He's capable of causing his opponent some problems but we believe Shelton can get the win.