"I felt like if Novak Djokovic wanted to put me three times 6-0, he could do it" - Alexandre Muller on what sets Serb apart from Carlos Alcaraz

Having faced both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic recently, Alexandre Muller has spoken about his experience of playing the top two players on the ATP Tour currently.

Muller locked horns with Alcaraz in the second round of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. While the Spaniard registered a 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-3 win over the 84th-ranked Frenchman, it wasn't smooth sailing as he produced an uncharacteristic number of 41 unforced errors.

On Monday, August 28, Muller took on Djokovic in the opening round of the US Open. The Serbian registered an emphatic 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 victory to sail through to the second round.

Speaking after his early exit at the New York Major, Muller stated that he wasn't at his best against Djokovic, who took advantage of the Frenchman's style to wrap up the contest pretty quickly.

"I wasn't on cloud nine and didn't play my best tennis, but I played my game. But he was really strong. In addition, I have a game that suits him because I play from the distance and in this area he is better than me," he told L'Équipe.

When asked to compare the game styles of Alcaraz and Djokovic, Muller opined that while he might stand a chance against the Spaniard, the Serbian was far too strong to compete against.

"They are two different games. We talked about it with my coach Gérard Solvès. I told him that against Alcaraz, I knew I was going to score plays. He tries a lot, so he makes a lot more mistakes," he stated.

"But against Novak, I felt like if he wanted to put me three times 6-0, he could do it. He's so solid, he doesn't give any free points and it's more complicated for me. With Alcaraz, I have a little more air to win games," he added.

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Novak Djokovic sails through to 2023 US Open 2R, Carlos Alcaraz in action on Day 2

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are through the second round at the 2023 US Open.

Novak Djokovic began his 2023 US Open campaign in a strong fashion on Monday, August 28. Playing his first match in New York since losing to Daniil Medvedev in the 2021 final, the Serbian defeated World No. 84 Alexandre Muller in the opening ground.

Djokovic was emphatic in victory, hitting 32 winners, winning 20 points at the net, and dropping just five points on first serve. He registered a quick-fire 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 win to set up a second-round clash with Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who defeated American NCAA champion Ethan Quinn 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

Alcaraz, on the other hand, will get his US Open title defence underway on Tuesday when he takes on Germany’s Dominik Koepfer in their maiden meeting on the ATP tour.

If the World No. 1 comes through the initial rounds unscathed, he will be on course to meet sixth seed Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals in what would be a rematch of their epic contest at the same stage of the tournament last year.