Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz returns to Centre Court on Wednesday, facing British wildcard and surprise qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round.
Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, is coming off a shaky but gritty five-set win over Fabio Fognini in the opening round. The match served as a wake-up call, with the Spaniard looking sluggish early before rallying with his signature explosiveness and variety to escape in over four hours.
A tournament favorite and reigning French Open champion, Alcaraz is seeking to become the first man since Federer to win three straight Wimbledon titles.
Across the net will be 22-year-old Oliver Tarvet, a virtual unknown to most of the tennis world. Ranked No. 733 and granted a Wimbledon wildcard after a strong run through the qualifying draw, the British underdog stunned Leandro Riedi in straight sets in round one. A former standout at Durham University, Tarvet now gets the opportunity of a lifetime on Centre Court.
Head-to-Head
Alcaraz ranks among the top in the ATP Tour this season in break points converted and has proven he can adapt to any surface. But his first-round performance revealed room for improvement — particularly on serve, where he was broken five times and hit seven double faults. His movement looked slightly hesitant, likely a result of limited grass-court prep following Roland Garros.
Tarvet, meanwhile, plays with fearless aggression and composure beyond his years. In his first-round win, he landed 70% of first serves, won over 80% of those points, and never faced a break point.
While he lacks experience on this stage, his compact backhand and willingness to come forward could help him keep points short and avoid being overrun from the baseline.
Still, Tarvet has never faced a player of Alcaraz’s caliber, let alone on Centre Court.
What to Watch
Expect Tarvet to have early crowd energy on his side — Centre Court always lifts the homegrown underdog. But Alcaraz’s ability to absorb pressure, construct points with creativity, and attack second serves could take over quickly.
For Alcaraz, cleaner serving and sharper footwork will be critical to avoid a repeat of his slow start against Fognini. If he finds his range early, he’ll be difficult to stop.
Tarvet’s best chance lies in maintaining aggressive court positioning, keeping service games short, and capitalizing on any Alcaraz lapses — particularly in the early stages.
Prediction
Alcaraz in straight sets. The defending champ looked vulnerable in round one, but he tends to improve as tournaments progress. Tarvet will make the most of the moment, but Alcaraz’s class and variety should be too much over the course of three sets.
How to Watch Alcaraz vs. Tarvet
The Carlos Alcaraz-Oliver Tarvet match is set to start at 10:40 AM Eastern on Centre Court. The game will air live on ESPN as part of its whip-around coverage. A dedicated stream for the match is available to ESPN+ subscribers.
Time: 10:40 AM Eastern
Court: Centre Court
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app and website, ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, FuboTV
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