LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and the end of London’s tropical heatwave ensured a sense of normality returned to the lawns of Wimbledon on Wednesday after two sweat-soaked days of shocks.
A stream of big names including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev crashed and burned in the oven-like temperatures of the first round.
So when Alcaraz walked on Center Court to continue his quest for a third successive title against British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, the thought surely lurked somewhere in his mind that he could be the fall-guy in the tournament’s greatest upset.
The 22-year-old second seed was not at his best but after saving three break points in a nervy opening service game against a college student ranked 733rd in the world, he asserted his authority to win 6-1 6-4 6-4.
Earlier on Center Court, women’s top seed Sabalenka battled to a 7-6(4) 6-4 win against Czech Marie Bouzkova.
“Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament, in both draws, women’s and men’s,” Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title, said.
“Honestly, I’m just trying to focus on myself.”
Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the sixth seed, also made it safely into round three, beating Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2 while unseeded four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka eased past Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.
BRITISH CHARGE
Lower temperatures did not mean an end to the surprises entirely though as American world number 12 Frances Tiafoe became the 14th of the 32 men’s seeds to depart, going down 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 to Cameron Norrie, one of seven British players in second-round singles action on day three.
Sonay Kartal led the home charge by beating Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2 to book her place in the last 32 for the second year in succession.
There was disappointment, though, for Britain’s Katie Boulter who served 14 double faults as she went down 6-7(9) 6-2 6-1 to 101st-ranked Solana Sierra, the Argentine who lost in qualifying but has seized her lucky loser spot with both hands.
Alcaraz, bidding to do the French Open-Wimbledon double for the second successive year, needed five sets to get past Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the first round and set up an intriguing clash with 21-year-old Tarvet.
Tarvet, who plays on the US collegiate circuit for the University of San Diego, said he believed he could beat anyone, even Alcaraz, after winning his Grand Slam debut match against fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland on Monday.
He was clearly not overawed at sharing a court with a five-times Grand Slam champion and had he taken any of the eight break points he earned in the first set it could have been closer.
Alcaraz proved a step too far though as he moved through the gears when required to keep an eager Tarvet under control.
Just as the Spaniard did in his first round when going to the aid of a female spectator suffering in the heat, Alcaraz again endeared himself to the Center Court crowd.
“First of all I have to give a big congratulations to Oliver, it’s his second match on the tour. I just loved his game to be honest, the level he played,” Alcaraz said.
Play on courts without roofs was delayed for two hours by light morning rain, but once the clouds rolled away the place to be for those without show-court tickets was Court 12 for Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca’s second-round match against American Jenson Brooksby.
The 18-year-old is widely-tipped as a future challenger to the domination of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and he showed exactly why during a 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-4 win that was celebrated by a large contingent of exuberant Brazilians.
