Novak Djokovic started his 2023 US Open campaign with a dominant performance, demonstrating his usual composure under pressure.
He defeated Alexandre Muller with a score of 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 in Arthur Ashe Stadium, showcasing his pursuit of a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title, a fourth US Open title, and the World No. 1 ranking.
This match marked Djokovic's return to the US Open since his 2021 final loss to Daniil Medvedev, which denied him the calendar-year Grand Slam.
After his victory against Muller, he remained appreciative of the crowd and the opportunity to play on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The match began late, after 11 p.m., following Coco Gauff's victory and a ceremony honoring Billie Jean King and 50 years of equal prize money at the US Open.
Nevertheless, Djokovic wasted no time, breaking Muller in the first game and swiftly winning the first set in just 23 minutes.
Djokovic's dominance continued in the second and third sets, as he controlled the match with precise shots, while Muller struggled to find a way to challenge his formidable opponent.
Djokovic ended the match with 32 winners and 23 unforced errors, converting 7 of 12 break-point opportunities and allowing only 11 winners from Muller.
This victory extended Djokovic's impressive run, with a 19-1 record in his last 20 matches, including winning the French Open and reaching the Wimbledon final.
Furthermore, this win secures Djokovic's return to the No. 1 ranking in the ATP rankings, extending his record for the most weeks spent as the world's top-ranked player to 389 weeks.
Looking ahead, Djokovic's victory over Muller is the first step towards potentially tying Margaret Court's Grand Slam record of 24 titles and winning his fourth US Open men's singles crown.
In the second round, he will face world No. 76 Bernabe Zapata Miralles, whom he has never met in a tour match.
Djokovic's remarkable consistency was highlighted as he extended his streak of advancing past the first round at Grand Slam tournaments to 67 consecutive events.
His last first-round loss occurred at the 2006 Australian Open, and he has not been eliminated before the third round at the US Open in the last 17 years.