For one game at least, it looked like Carlos Alcaraz could be in for another surprisingly tough encounter on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.

After being pushed to five sets in his opening match, two-time defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz enjoyed a more routine 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over British qualifier Oliver Tarvet on Wednesday.

Having wound himself up for this duel with a declaration that he could beat “anybody”, Oliver Tarvet played as if he believed it, treating Carlos Alcaraz almost as just another one of his hitting partners at the University of San Diego.