Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic is back at world number one in the tennis rankings after a decisive first-round victory at the US Open on Monday.
Djokovic, chasing a record-extending 24th Grand Slam singles title in New York, defeated France's Alexandre Muller 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 in just 1 hour and 35 minutes.
The win means Djokovic is guaranteed to replace defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz as world number one when the tennis rankings are updated after the tournament.
Djokovic is playing in New York for the first time since suffering an agonising defeat in the 2021 final there.
He was barred from entry to the United States in 2022 for his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19, meaning he was unable to play the US Open.
On Monday, the 36-year-old played like a man making up for lost time, reeling off 32 winners and breaking Muller eight times in an encounter that finished at around 12.40 a.m. local time.
"I was looking forward to this moment for a few years—to be out on the biggest stadium in our sport, the loudest stadium in our sport." Djokovic said.
