Novak Djokovic ensured he will return to the top of tennis's world rankings with an emphatic first round victory at the U.S. Open on Monday as women's world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and American rival Coco Gauff advanced.
Djokovic, chasing a record-extending 24th Grand Slam singles title in New York, shrugged off a late-night start on the Arthur Ashe Stadium to demolish France's Alexandre Muller 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 in just 1 hour 35 minutes.
The win means Djokovic is guaranteed to replace defending U.S. Open champion Carlos Alcaraz as world No. 1 when the tennis rankings are next updated after the tournament.