Novak Djokovic believes world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz has what it takes to keep his 2026 winning streak alive, and the Serbian star who won 41 straight matches to open 2011 should know.
Alcaraz pushed his perfect 2026 record to 13-0 with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov at the Indian Wells ATP Masters on Saturday.
He said before the tournament that a dozen straight wins, with titles at the Australian Open and the ATP Qatar Open, had made him realise just how remarkable Djokovic's 41-match streak was.
But Djokovic said there's no reason the 22-year-old Spaniard can't keep piling up the wins.
"He can do it," Djokovic said after his own second-round victory over Kamil Majchrzak. "He has everything that you need to have in terms of the game, in terms of the adaptability to different surfaces, and level of fitness and recovery that he has shown and matured over the years.
"He needs to keep his body healthy. If he keeps his body healthy, I mean, he's so good that he can win any tournament he plays in."
Looking back on his 2011 streak, Djokovic recalled the ever-increasing feeling of confidence it brought, as well as the appetite for more success.
"It's demanding," he said. "But at the same time, when you are winning so much and you're riding that wave, you don't want to let go.
"You want to surf on that wave as long as you can, because the level of confidence is really high."
Alcaraz's run included a victory over Djokovic in the Australian Open final, where the 22-year-old Spaniard became the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.
"I wish him more victories," said Djokovic, who could find himself up against Alcaraz again in the semifinals at Indian Wells.
"I think he's great for our sport, and what he's been doing is remarkable."