Djokovic and Wozniaki make winning returns to US Open

NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki made winning returns to the US Open on Monday (Aug 29), while women's world number one Iga Swiatek was in ominous form in getting her title defence off to a flying start.

It was also a bright start for home hopes of a US winner at the championships, with Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe enjoying routine wins in their bids to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title in 20 years.

On the women's side, Coco Gauff was made to work for her place in the second round.

Djokovic, prevented from playing in last year's US Open due to being unvaccinated against COVID-19, began his latest campaign to match Margaret Court's all-time record haul of 24 Grand Slams with a 6-0 6-2 6-3 win over Alexandre Muller.

Arriving in New York on the back of an absorbing win over young rival Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati final, an in-form Djokovic showed the 84th ranked Frenchman no mercy in his US Open main draw debut.

"This court has seen so much history and so many battles," Djokovic told the New York crowd.

"Everyone knows in tennis that night sessions at Arthur Ashe definitely are the most exciting, fun, loud, energetic sessions you can have out there in the tennis world."

While the US Open has just got underway, Djokovic's win guarantees he will nudge Alcaraz out of top spot in the rankings when they are updated on Sep 11.

Djokovic had not been seen on the Flushing Meadows hard courts since his loss to Daniil Medvedev in the 2021 final and fans let the 36-year-old know they had missed him, showering him with applause as he emerged from the tunnel.

And it was clear that the three-time champion had missed them too as he embraced the cheers of a record crowd of over 30,000 that included