Alexandre Muller vs Novak Djokovic Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP US Open

Prediction published on 27/08/2023, 10:37  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 27/08/2023 at 11:38 in Tennis Predictions

Novak Djokovic makes his return to the US Open and could end it again the world number one. The second seed takes on the unseeded Andre Muller in the first round. The winner will be up against either Bernabe Zapata Miralles or wild card Ethan Quinn in the second round. Djokovic may be the world number two at present but he's in top spot in the live rankings. He has no points to defend, while the current world number one Carlos Alcaraz is the defending US Open champion. He has to retain the title to stay number one and even that won't be enough if Djokovic avoids losing this match. We don't believe that Muller is going to cause a massive upset here. Djokovic recently won the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and beat Alcaraz in the final. He's won the US Open on three previous occasions and lost in six finals. This year has seen him win the Australian and French Open titles and lose to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.

Andre Muller is the world number 84 with a career high of 76th achieved last month. His recent form on hard courts is poor and doesn't indicate he can cause a shock. If he is to even win a set Muller has to recapture the form that saw him get to the last eight in Doha earlier this year. He's yet to win a match at the US Open and lost in the first qualifying round in his previous two tournaments here. His best performance in a Grand Slam ths year was getting to the second round at Wimbledon. We go for Djokovic to win in straight sets.