'You don't want to let go of that wave' - Novak Djokovic backs Carlos Alcaraz to maintain unbeaten run after Indian Wells second round win

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Novak Djokovic has backed world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to maintain his unbeaten run after an excellent start to the season. The Spaniard has now recorded 13 wins in a row, after beating Grigor Dimitrov at Indian Wells. Djokovic, who Alcaraz beat in the final of the Australian Open earlier this year, has also enjoyed some memorable unbeaten runs throughout his illustrious career.

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Novak Djokovic believes that Carlos Alcaraz will feel like he is "riding a wave" after the Spaniard extended his remarkable unbeaten run with a 6-2 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov at Indian Wells.

The world No. 1’s victory not only set up a mouth-watering round of 32 clash with Arthur Rinderknech, but also extended his winning streak to 13 matches.

That impressive series of victories includes a 2-6 6-2 6-3 7-5 triumph over 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open last month.

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Djokovic is no stranger to an unbeaten run himself, having secured 41 consecutive wins during the 2011 season, and he revealed how the 22-year-old will be feeling ahead of the climax of Indian Wells.

"When you are winning so much, and you're riding that wave, you don't want to let go of that wave," Djokovic said.

"You want to surf on that wave as long as you can, because the level of confidence is really high."

In 2026, Alcaraz has now won one match at Indian Wells, five at the Qatar Open and seven at the Australian Open.

The Serbian tennis legend could go on to meet Alcaraz during the tournament, but he believes his Spanish rival has what it takes to maintain his unbeaten run.

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"He can do it," Djokovic said. "He has everything that you need to have in terms of the game, in terms of the adaptability to different surfaces, and the 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, he's so good that he can win any tournament he plays."

Djokovic has impressed while competing at Indian Wells, beating Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in the round of 64. He will go head-to-head with Aleksandar Kovacevic of the USA in the round of 32.

Djokovic is enjoying being back competing at the highest level.

"It's good to be back on Tour," he said. "Five weeks with no official match, I knew that the first match in such a long time would be a little bit tricky and challenging, with conditions that are quite challenging.

"But I managed to reset after I lost that first set right away in the second and really never looked back."

The French Open is the next Grand Slam on the tennis schedule. The iconic tournament is set to get underway on May 18, live on TNT Sports.

Watch and stream live tennis - including the 2026 French Open - on TNT Sports and HBO Max

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