Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, celebrates winning his match against Alexandre Muller (not in photograph), of France, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, on Aug 29, 2023, in New York. (PHOTO / AP)

NEW YORK - Novak Djokovic marked his return on Monday with a 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Alexandre Muller of France in the first round of the US Open, following a one-year hiatus.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion missed last year's tournament, as he couldn't travel to the US due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19. In the 2021 US Open, the Serbian finished as the runner-up, losing to Russia's Daniil Medvedev in the final.

With this win, Djokovic will next face Spain's Bernabe Zapata Miralles. If successful, he stands to reclaim the world number one ranking from Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz will defend his title against Germany's Dominik Koepfer on Tuesday.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic plays a backhand return against France's Alexandre Muller (not in photograph) during the US Open tennis tournament men's singles first round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on Aug 28, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Also on Monday, China's Zhang Zhizhen celebrated his first main draw win at the US Open, defeating Jeffrey John Wolf of the United States 7-5, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3 in a grueling match that lasted four hours and 29 minutes.

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"I told myself before the decider: There is no problem, there is still one set to fight. I don't have a lot of negative thoughts," said Zhang. He is slated to play against sixth-seed Casper Ruud of Norway in Round 2.

Alexandre Muller, of France, returns a shot to Novak Djokovic (not in photograph), of Serbia, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships on Aug 28, 2023 in New York. (PHOTO / AP)

World number seven Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece advanced, besting Canada's Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. However, fourth-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark was upset by Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena, who won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

On the women's side, all the Chinese participants competing today clinched their opening matches. Wang Xiyu mounted a comeback to beat Viktoria Hruncakova of Slovakia 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6), while Zhu Lin and Wang Xinyu dispatched their opponents in straight sets.

Elsewhere, Coco Gauff rallied into the second round, coming from behind to outpace Laura Siegemund of Germany. The 19-year-old, viewed as a potent threat to champion Iga Swiatek, lost the opening set 6-3 but responded with scores of 6-2, 6-4 in the subsequent sets.

Zhang Zhizhen of China returns a shot against Jeffrey John Wolf of the United States during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug 28, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (PHOTO / AFP)

World number one Iga Swiatek of Poland dominated, crushing Sweden's Rebecca Peterson 6-0, 6-1 in just under an hour.

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Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan progressed smoothly, defeating Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-1.