Second seed Novak Djokovic will face Alexandre Muller of France in the first round of the 2023 US Open. The match will be played on Monday, August 28, 2023.

Novak Djokovic is playing for a spot in the second round, but most importantly for the No. 1 ranking. Victory over France’s World No. 85 Alexandre Muller would mean that Djokovic will take over as the ATP’s No.1 even if rival Carlos Alcaraz retained his title. The relentless Serbian did not play the US Open last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, so he can only gain points during the US swing, and the permuation is simple, he only needs to avoid the mother of all upsets to reclaim the No. 1 ranking in a week’s time.

Alexandre Muller will be playing in his sixth Grand Slam main draw on Monday and his very first at the US Open. The Frenchman was a journeyman for a huge chunk of his career but has made the transition to the main tour this year with some very impressive performances. He reached his first ATP final in Marrakech during the clay swing where he lost to Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in three sets, a result which served as a catalyst in his Top 100 breakthrough. Muller added a second Challenger title to his trophy cabinet at the end of June when he won in Parma. However, his form has been extremely poor since, losing his last six matches in all competitions coming to New York.

Novak Djokovic is a colossal favorite to win this match. He has never played Alexandre Muller before but that won’t matter in the slightest as the Serbian star is head and shoulders above the Frencman in every department. He warmed up for this year’s tournament by winning the tuneup event in Cincinnati in a breathtaking final against Carlos Alcaraz. Muller could be forgiven for drawing the world’s top two players right out of the gate in back-to-back Grand Slams, having played Alcaraz in his opening match at this year’s Wimbledon. Djokovic should coast to the second round here and reclaim the No. 1 ranking in the process.