WHAT HAPPENED: There is a lot on the line for Novak Djokovic at the 2023 US Open: a potential record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title, a fourth US Open crown and the world No. 1 ranking—the latter of which he clinched with his Monday evening win.
But pressure seems to have had little impact on Djokovic throughout his career, and this night was no exception: The No. 2 seed kicked off his latest run at tennis immortality with a dominant display, dismissing Alexandre Muller, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3, under the lights in Arthur Ashe Stadium to advance to the second round.
The match was the first for Djokovic at the US Open since the 2021 men’s singles final against Daniil Medvedev, when he fell just one victory shy of completing the first calendar-year Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.
That day, Djokovic was overcome by emotion, remarking after the match how he felt the love from the fans for his herculean effort. He was similarly thankful, if a bit more subdued, after defeating Muller—for the continued support of the crowd, for the victory and for the return to the New York stage.
“I was excited to get out on the court,” Djokovic said during his on-court interview. “It’s been a couple of years and to come in front of you guys is always a pleasure and an honor to play on Arthur Ashe [Stadium].”
The match didn’t get underway until after 11 p.m., following Coco Gauff's three-set victory over Laura Siegemund and a ceremony honoring Billie Jean King and 50 years of equal prize money at the US Open. Fortunately for the somnambulants in the crowd, Djokovic went to work quickly, breaking Muller in the first game of the match and racing through the first set in 23 minutes.
“I started tremendously well out of the blocks,” said an understated Djokovic, who posted 14 winners and only five unforced errors in the opening frame.
The second and third sets were largely more of the same, Djokovic striking the ball pure and controlling the match at every level as Muller searched in vain for a way to crack his indomitable opponent.
In total, Djokovic finished the match with 32 winners against 23 unforced errors, converting 7 of 12 break-point chances and permitting just 11 winners by the Frenchman.
“I think I played great from the beginning to the end,” Djokovic said. “Some hiccups, but I like the level. Hopefully I can maintain it in the next round as well.”
The victory continues an outstanding run of form for Djokovic, who is now 19-1 in his last 20 matches. That streak includes his 23rd major championship, at the French Open; advancing to the Wimbledon final, where he fell to 2022 US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller; and a tournament title at the US Open tune-up in Cincinnati, a crown he secured with a three-hour, 49-minute marathon victory over Alcaraz.
WHAT IT MEANS: Most immediately, the victory Monday night ensures that Djokovic will return to No. 1 in the world when the next ATP rankings come out in two weeks. That will extend his record of 389 weeks holding the top spot, a record for both men and women (at 310 weeks, Roger Federer is second among men, and Steffi Graf holds the women’s record at 377 weeks).
More importantly, the victory over Muller is the first step toward matching Margaret Court’s long-held Grand Slam titles mark—her 24th and final major title came at the 1973 US Open—and a fourth US Open men’s singles crown, which would equal John McEnroe and Rafael Nadal for the second-most in the Open Era, trailing only the five won by Federer, Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras.
Awaiting Djokovic in the second round is world No. 76 Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who defeated 2023 NCAA champion Ethan Quinn (University of Georgia) in the opening round. Djokovic and Zapata Miralles have never met in a tour match.
MATCH POINT: With the victory, Djokovic has now advanced past the first round at 67 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. His last first-round loss came at the 2006 Australian Open, and he has never lost before the third round at the US Open, the last such defeat also coming 17 years ago.
