Carlos Alcaraz steals the show: Passes Novak Djokovic milestone and equals Pete Sampras record

Alcaraz on the cusp of another milestone as Indian Wells semi-final beckons.

Carlos Alcaraz’s path through Indian Wells has unfolded much as expected so far.

He’s been in top form throughout 2026, and returning to a tournament he’s already won twice, there was little reason to think that would change.

Now facing Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final, Alcaraz stands just two wins away from adding yet another title to his growing collection.

The Russian will have plenty of reasons to approach this matchup with caution, not least because no one has managed to beat Alcaraz yet this season.

That momentum only grew stronger after his recent win over Ben Shelton, which came off the back of a dominant performance against Rafael Nadal.

Carlos Alcaraz’s record-breaking streak at Indian Wells continues. This latest win brings his unbeaten run at Indian Wells up to 16 straight matches, setting a new tournament record for consecutive victories in the men’s singles draw.

His last loss here dates back to the semi-finals in 2023 when he fell short against Jannik Sinner. Since then, he hasn’t looked back, racking up titles in both 2024 and 2025.

Alcaraz surpasses Djokovic’s outdoor hard-court streak with win over Norrie

Alcaraz’s win over Cam Norrie to book a place in the Indian Wells semi-finals marked his 34th consecutive victory on outdoor hard courts, a run that goes back deep into 2025.

During this stretch, he has picked up five titles and two Grand Slams.

This latest result takes him past Novak Djokovic’s 33-match streak from 2011 and ties him with Pete Sampras’ record from 1994.

If he manages to get past Medvedev, only Roger Federer (46 straight wins) and Jimmy Connors (55) will have longer runs in this category.

It’s been a historic few days for the Spaniard, who also recently overtook Nadal and Djokovic in another major milestone earlier this week.

Carlos Alcaraz’s remaining path to the Indian Wells title

To keep that run going and get closer to those records, he’ll need to lift the trophy again in Indian Wells. He’s now just two matches away from making that happen.

First up is Daniil Medvedev. The Spaniard will be feeling confident, holding a 6-3 lead in their head-to-head and having won the last four meetings.

If he gets through Medvedev, then it’s a final against either Jannik Sinner or Alexander Zverev. Even if they’re both playing well this year, neither can match what Alcaraz has done recently.

Carlos Alcaraz remains on the hunt for Roger Federer’s outdoor hard-court win streak

Chasing down Federer’s mark won’t be straightforward. Even if Alcaraz wins the title at Indian Wells, he’d only move to 36 wins, still ten shy of matching the record.

He’d need to run through the Miami Open as well, which would add another six matches to his tally before the calendar shifts away from hard courts.

His next shot would come in Canada and Cincinnati after Wimbledon. To overtake Federer, he’d need five more victories in Canada alone.

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