World number two Djokovic has enjoyed complete domination so far this year by winning seven titles, including the Australian Open, four Masters Series events and ending world number one Rafael Nadal’s supremacy on clay.
Should the Serbian reach the final of next week’s French Open, he will edge ahead of McEnroe’s 1984 streak, which was ended in the final at Roland Garros by arch rival Ivan Lendl.
“For me, personally, it brings back memories of ’84,” former world number one and seven-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe told reporters in a conference call on Tuesday. “I’m quite excited at the timing of this because he could break my record at the French Open. I’ve followed his progress and to put it mildly it’s been quite amazing to see how much confidence he is playing with.
“Records are made to be broken but at the same time now there is more competition, more athleticism, and deeper fields and more depth in the sport so his record is even more impressive than mine.
“Also in ’84 the Aussie Open was played at the end of the year so I hadn’t played a major when I put that run together. My first major was the French where the streak was broken.
“It’s impressive given he came in number three and to dominate (Roger) Federer and Nadal the way he has, to see what he has done, it’s a little surprising.” Djokovic outclasssed Nadal for the second week in succession to win the Rome Masters on Sunday, having also beaten the Spanish claycourt king in Madrid the week before.
The Serb, whose total streak is 39 when taking into account his two wins in the Davis Cup final at the end of 2010, has also beaten Federer three times already this year and stands on the brink of taking over as the world number one from Nadal.
