ATP Tour

Muller approaches Djokovic test with newfound confidence and family joy

For a player with just two main-draw appearances at Wimbledon, Alexandre Muller seems remarkably comfortable in the spotlight.

In both of his previous visits to the grass-court major, the 28-year-old Frenchman reached the second round, falling on Centre Court to Carlos Alcaraz in 2023 and Daniil Medvedev in 2024. This year, his challenge is no less formidable: a first-round clash with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.

Yet, despite the daunting task ahead, Muller arrives at Wimbledon in high spirits.

“Maybe I have had a little bit of bad luck regarding the draws, but I also have luck in my life,” Muller told ATPTour.com. “My wife is here and we are expecting a baby, so I think I am quite lucky on that front."

_{^{Alexandre Muller fell to Daniil Medvedev in the second round at Wimbledon last year. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}} 

Muller has enjoyed his best season on the ATP Tour this year, highlighted by winning his first trophy in Hong Kong and rising to a career-high No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings. While he fell to Djokovic in straight sets at the 2023 US Open, he is a much different player now. And so is the 38-year-old Serbian.

“It’s my third Wimbledon, and the third time I will play on Centre Court… It’s not like my house, but a little bit,” Muller said with a smile. “It’s always cool to play on this amazing court.

“There is always a chance [against Djokovic]. He’s human like me and I’m going to start by attacking his physique. We will see, he’s the greatest player in history and here at Wimbledon, he has some amazing stats. But I will give my best and we will see.”

Competing as the World No. 41 — just two spots off his career high — Muller has good reason for optimism. The calculated Frenchman is known for his prowess from the baseline, which was key to his run to the championship match at the clay-court ATP 500 in Rio in February.

One of the defining features of Djokovic’s game, however, is his own relentless pursuit from the back of the court, and it's been pivotal in his success on the lawns at Wimbledon, where he is chasing a record-tying eighth crown.

“It’s a surface that relies a lot on serve and return and I’m more of a player who plays a lot from the baseline, so it’s true that those are aspects of the game where I could be more efficient,” said Muller. “But I’m working on that, serve and return, because it’s super important here on grass.

“It’s true that the movement is quite different. Personally, I can’t slide on grass, so it’s quite complicated, but I try to manage. I don’t think I move quite like Djokovic on grass… But we will deal with it.”

In past seasons, Muller arrived at Wimbledon directly from the clay swing, but this year, he has chosen to alter his schedule. Despite falling in the first round in Halle, to the eventual champion Alexander Bublik, and at the same stage in Mallorca to Roman Safiullin, Muller is adjusting well to the transition from the grinding clay to the slick grass.

While Djokovic is chasing his own history this fortnight, he is also competing at his lowest seeding (sixth) since 2018. The job at hand is nonetheless a daunting one for Muller, but he also believes their second Lexus ATP Head2Head clash will present a different chapter.

“After the finals in Hong Kong and Rio, the confidence in my game is a lot higher than the last time I played here. I have been playing pretty well since the beginning of the season so I hope I can continue that on Tuesday.

“With the draws, I could have a bit more luck, but I have a few years left in my career and I hope that will turn.”