Serena Williams Backs Carlos Alcaraz to Break Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam Record

A 23-time Major champion, and arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, Serena Williams is set to receive the 2025 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports on Friday, in recognition of her extraordinary achievements and her tireless advocacy for gender equality.

Naturally, while in Spain, Williams was asked about the state of Spanish tennis, a topic she admitted to knowing well. “The Spanish have been at the top for a long time. There’s Rafa, of course, but there are many other wonderful tennis players,” Williams said.

She went on to share her admiration for World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, revealing that she is not just a fan from afar. “Alcaraz is doing incredible things. I’m a huge fan of Alcaraz. Every time he plays, I call him to cheer him on,” the American confessed.

Serena Williams Backs Alcaraz to Break Djokovic’s Record

Williams didn’t hesitate when asked whether she believes Alcaraz could one day surpass Novak Djokovic’s all-time men’s record of 24 Major titles, speaking with optimism about the young Spaniard’s potential.

“At this point, anything is possible,” Williams said. “When Federer started, no one thought he could surpass Sampras, and he did. Then Rafa did the same, and then Djokovic. Carlos is very young, he has great rivals, but of course it’s possible. Records are there to be broken.”

Alcaraz’s Road Ahead

Due to his early success, the prospect of one day holding the Major record is something Alcaraz has already been asked about multiple times. Just last May, when questioned by the BBC, the Spaniard didn’t hesitate to respond. “I know it is almost impossible to break Novak’s records, but I’m playing tennis for myself, for joy, and I want to do great things. I want to be part of tennis history.”

While the road to what would be a record 25 Major titles still looks distant, more than quadruple his current tally of six, few doubt that if any player across both tours today can reach that magic number, it is Alcaraz.

At just 22 years old, he’s even ahead of the pace set by the “Big Three,” reaching six Majors a couple of months younger than his idol, Rafael Nadal. Another defining factor is his remarkable surface versatility. Alcaraz has already won multiple Major titles on all three surfaces, becoming just the fourth man in tennis history to achieve that feat at this year’s US Open, and by far the youngest to do so.

With an all-court game and no apparent surface weakness, Alcaraz stands as one of the defining figures of this new era of tennis, following the retirements of past icons such as Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. If his trajectory continues, the question won’t be whether he adds his name to tennis’s Mount Rushmore, but how far beyond those legends he can go.