Alcaraz breaks decade old Djokovic record and has a chance to finish year with more
ATP
There is no doubt that 2022’s tennis star of the year has been Carlos Alcaraz.
The Spanish superstar has set the year alight with his tennis, completing a meteoric rise through the tennis rankings with his US Open triumph over Casper Ruud in the battle for World No.1
Now sitting at the peak of men’s tennis, the 19-year-old has the world at his feet as he looks to dominate the sport for the next 15 or so years.
The comparison with the three ageing greats of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic have been endless since he won in New York, but a mark of his competitiveness is found with an astonishing stat from his year.
With an overall match record this year of 52-10, Alcaraz has won a set in every match he has played (except for two exhibitions matches).
This extraordinary record is similar to that of Djokovic during his dominant 2011 season.
Then, the Serbian had won a set in his first 58 matches of the year before retiring against Andy Murray.
Alcaraz became the first man to match Djokovic to the 50-match marker of winning at least a set when losing in three to Tommy Paul at the Canadian Open in Montreal but has now surpassed Djokovic’s record.
Alcaraz has won a set in every single one of his 62 matches, a phenomenal achievement with just a couple of months of the year to go.
However, Djokovic’s 2011 record is not one that should be downplayed, with the 21-time Grand Slam winner ending the year with a 70-6 record, taking home three Grand Slam titles and finishing with a 10-1 record over Nadal and Federer.
But Alcaraz is on track to become the first ever man to win a set in every match he plays in a calendar year. Another step on the long road to become the greatest.
