Last Updated:
Carlos Alcaraz faces British amateur Oliver Tarvet at Wimbledon after many seeds were eliminated. Alcaraz aims for his third consecutive title; Tarvet plays his first Grand Slam.
Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz will seek to avoid one of Wimbledon’s greatest upsets against British amateur Oliver Tarvet on Wednesday after a record-breaking number of seeds were eliminated at the All England Club.
Following two days of searing temperatures in London, persistent drizzle delayed play on the outside courts. However, the rain will not affect defending champion Alcaraz in his second-round match against Tarvet on the covered Centre Court.
Their contest will follow the match between women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka and Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.
Alcaraz’s encounter with the British qualifier represents a classic David versus Goliath scenario. The Spaniard, a five-time Grand Slam champion, is aiming for his third consecutive Wimbledon title, while world number 733 Tarvet is only playing his second main draw match at the All England Club.
The world number two has won his last 19 matches since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April, a streak that includes titles at the Rome Masters, the French Open, and Queen’s Club.
The 22-year-old, who recently came from two sets down to defeat Jannik Sinner in an epic final at Roland Garros, is also formidable on grass, having won 30 of his 33 Tour-level matches on the surface. His last defeat at Wimbledon was against Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
In stark contrast to Alcaraz’s prominence, the unheralded Tarvet is just beginning his tennis career and cannot collect all of his Wimbledon prize money. As a student at the University of San Diego, he must maintain amateur status and will forfeit most of his earnings. However, he has joked about creatively using his expenses, suggesting he might indulge in business-class travel or pay his coaches extra.
Who Is Carlos Alcaraz Playing?
Tarvet, playing in his first Grand Slam, exudes confidence ahead of facing Alcaraz. He stated, “I’m quietly confident that I can win against anyone. Alcaraz isn’t an exception to that. Obviously, he’s done an incredible amount in the tennis world. He’s a difficult guy not to respect.”
Following 48 hours of significant surprises in both the men’s and women’s draws, an Alcaraz defeat would arguably rank as the biggest shock in Wimbledon history. In the men’s category, 13 seeded players lost in the first round, surpassing the previous tournament record of 11 and tying the 2004 Australian Open for the most at a Grand Slam. Third seed Alexander Zverev was the highest-ranked man to fall, losing to France’s Arthur Rinderknech on Tuesday. Italian seventh seed Lorenzo Musetti also lost to Nikoloz Basilashvili, while Rune and Daniil Medvedev, both top-10 seeds, were defeated on Monday.
The carnage extended to the women’s draw, with French Open champion Coco Gauff and second seed Jessica Pegula both eliminated on Tuesday. Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who faces 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova on Centre Court, leads a group of seven British players competing on Wednesday. Raducanu’s compatriot Katie Boulter, who defeated ninth seed Paula Badosa in her opener, will take on Solana Sierra, an Argentine who was knocked out in qualifying before entering the main draw as a lucky loser.
(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:
