Tarvet, the Great Wall of fire, is sizzling

BRIT QUALIFIER TIPPED TO CHALLENGE CARLOS

- By Mike Walters

WORLD No.733 Oliver Tarvet was acclaimed as a “huge British wall” of talent after earning a fairy-tale tilt at defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.

If the 1,000-1 long shot from St Albans takes down the five-time Grand Slam winner in the second round, he will not just be getting away with mortar.

It would be the most sensational upset of all time on the All England Club’s hallowed lawns.

Qualifier Tarvet stormed through his first Grand Slam match with a 6-4 6-4 6-4 demolition of Swiss Leandro Riedi on intimate Court No.4.

On this evidence Tarvet, who plays in the United States under the collegiate system, is going to climb the rankings faster than Spiderman can scale a tower block.

Riedi was impressed, saying: “He was a wall, a huge British wall, and some of his passing shots were mind-blowing.

“If he carries on playing like this you are going to hear a lot more about him.