NOVAK Djokovic has secured the men’s world No.1 spot after easing to victory on his US Open return in the early hours of today.
The Serbian star, who lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz in July, won 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 against France’s Alexandre Muller to move on to the second round in New York.
Djokovic, 36, was not allowed entry to play in the United States of America last year because he was not vaccinated against Covid-19.
He has returned chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic, who won the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year, will play Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the second round in his quest for a fourth US Open men’s singles title.
In the women’s singles, American Coco Gauff survived a scare as she fought back to beat German qualifier Laura Siegemund in the first round.
Gauff, 19, bounced back from a poor first set to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in front of home fans.
Also, top seed Iga Swiatek, who is from Poland, began her title defence with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson in just under an hour.
Greek eighth seed Maria Sakkari suffered another shock early exit as she was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Spanish world No.71 Rebeka Masarova.
The 28-year-old has now lost in the first round of three consecutive majors.
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1, while Brazilian 19th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia defeated 2017 champion Sloane Stephens of USA.
Danish former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who retired in January 2020 and has since had two children, marked her return to Grand Slam action with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian qualifier Tatiana Prozorova.
