Last Updated:
Carlos Alcaraz beat British amateur Oliver Tarvet 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the Wimbledon third round.
Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz put an end to Oliver Tarvet’s Wimbledon dream as the defending champion advanced to the third round with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the British amateur on Wednesday.
After a record number of seeds were eliminated in the first round at the All England Club, Alcaraz avoided a major upset on Centre Court.
The world number two had previously battled to a five-set win over 38-year-old Italian Fabio Fognini in a first-round match that lasted over four hours on Monday.
Once again, he was not at his best, taking two hours and 17 minutes to overcome world number 733 Tarvet, who showcased flashes of his emerging talent and delighted the supportive crowd.
Alcaraz has now won his last 20 matches since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April, a remarkable streak that has brought him titles at the Rome Masters, the French Open, and Queen’s Club.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, who recently fought back from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in an epic final at Roland Garros, has won 31 of his 34 Tour-level matches on grass.
His last defeat at Wimbledon came in the fourth round in 2022 against Sinner.
“I found the right way. I try to enjoy every match. It doesn’t matter if I’m winning or losing. That is the key,” Alcaraz said.
“The last few months have been a great winning streak. I just try to keep it going.
“I’m trying to make the most of my time in Wimbledon. Let’s see how far I can go.”
How Can Carlos Alcaraz Join Wimbledon Legends?
Having defeated Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz is aiming to join an elite group of Wimbledon legends.
He hopes to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles, following in the footsteps of seven-time champion Djokovic, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, and Pete Sampras.
In stark contrast to Alcaraz’s fame and fortune, the unheralded Tarvet is just beginning his tennis career and cannot even collect all of his Wimbledon prize money.
As a student at the University of San Diego, the 21-year-old needs to maintain amateur status and will have to forfeit most of his earnings.
While Alcaraz is a five-time Grand Slam champion, Tarvet was playing just his second major main draw match after coming through three qualifiers and defeating Leandro Riedi in the opening round.
More accustomed to playing in front of a few hundred spectators on the US college circuit, Tarvet defied the vast rankings gap to Alcaraz and had 15,000 Centre Court fans cheering his every move.
He never looked out of his depth, amassing eight break points in the first set as he pushed Alcaraz into a series of awkward errors.
Each time Alcaraz seemed on the verge of cracking, the Spaniard produced a perfectly-timed winner to escape trouble.
Even with the first set secured, Alcaraz wasn’t completely comfortable.
Tarvet, hitting with power and poise, broke for the first time in the second game of the second set, wagging his finger in delight as the crowd roared their approval.
Alcaraz quickly dampened the excitement by breaking in the next game and again at 4-4 before serving out the set.
When Alcaraz broke early in the third set, Tarvet responded gamely with a break of his own, only for the Spaniard to deliver the final blow with another break to secure his victory.
(With inputs from AFP)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha… Read More
- Location :
London, United Kingdom (UK)
- First Published:
