"I'm sure I can beat anyone... and Alcaraz is no exception"

Fernando Murciego | 1 Jul 2025 | 11.03

This is Oliver Tarvet, the next opponent of Alcaraz at Wimbledon. Source: Getty

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Although we have been telling the story of Oliver Tarvet since last Saturday, when he advanced to his first professional main draw by overcoming the qualifying rounds, fate has decided that his name will be heard in every household this coming Wednesday, when he faces Carlos Alcaraz in the second round of Wimbledon. Still an amateur – a member of the San Diego university team – this 21-year-old Brit has generated a multitude of comments starting from #733 in the rankings, but in sports, numbers don't always dictate. Will he be able to stand up to the current two-time champion of the tournament? These were his words after securing his first Grand Slam victory.

Living a dream

"This is what one dreams of as a child, I always came to this tournament when I was young, it's what you work for, a long-term goal. That everything happens so suddenly makes it more special, but I feel that nothing will change when I play against Alcaraz. I came here with no expectations, I'm sure I can beat anyone and Alcaraz is no exception. Obviously, he has done an incredible amount in the world of tennis, he's a guy to respect, but you have to go out and try to beat him. It will be special to face him, especially on a bigger court, I will try not to let the moment be too big for me".

The environment, key to his progress

"My parents have done a lot for me, they have been great throughout my career, the perfect parents. They have been very supportive, they let me develop and have trusted me in everything I did. One of the reasons I have so much passion is because of them, they never pressured me to succeed, they just pushed me to have the right attitude every day, so I am very grateful to them. It was very special all the way, also with my coach, the whole team did a great job with me. Now I want to enjoy this experience for all the work they all did".

His college experience

"My college period was a bit complicated, I was recruited during COVID time, there were no available flights, so I spent like 10 hours on the phone building a relationship with Ryan Keckley and Alex Funkhouser, many hours of Zoom. San Diego is a great place to develop my tennis, I trusted them a lot, I would take this path 100% again. I would recommend it to any high-level junior, I would invite them to embrace the college system, the whole setup there is great, they are very professional. Thanks to my teammates and the culture we have, today I am a much better tennis player than three years ago".

Joking about the prize money

"This topic was taken a bit out of context, I try to maintain humility above all (laughs). Obviously, a big goal of mine is to return in January and close out my time there, even though I can't benefit financially from the tournament prize, what I generate I will use for expenses. I will try my best to make that work, to find an amount in expenses less than $10,000, although maybe I will hire someone to help me with the costs, I want the NCAA to be happy. As I said, it is a very important issue for me, I still have big goals at the University of San Diego".

What will happen on Wednesday?

"I will try to approach the match on Wednesday like any other, I have a routine that works quite well for me. I like to wake up early, have breakfast early, give myself time to get in the right place mentally. This is key for me, it makes me feel competitive. Then on the court, I feel I have good shots, good serves, I see a competitive edge in my mentality. If I am very focused, I have an extra strength compared to others. I also usually carry a diary with me, sometimes you will see me take it out to jot something down, it helps me succeed throughout the process. One thing that always helps me a lot is to focus on each thing, listening to music is another routine that helps me a lot to be in the right place".

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, “Estoy seguro de que puedo ganar a cualquiera… y Alcaraz no es una excepción”