Brit tennis star who is earning pennies at Wimbledon ‘has to find £70,000 of expenses' as he says ‘tennis is expensive'

Scottish Sun

2 days ago

ACE student Oliver Tarvet is swotting up for the biggest exam of his life - and aiming to bring down Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.
But even if Tarvet topples the king of SW19 tomorrow, he will pocket barely any of the £152,000 on offer.
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Oliver Tarvet booked his place in the second round of Wimbledon
Credit: Getty
British No33 Tarvet - at 733, the lowest-ranked player in the singles field - earned his shot at glory as he destroyed Swiss Leandro Riedi, barely giving his opponent a sniff of a chance as he cantered to a straight-sets win.
Tarvet, still a student amateur at the University of San Diego, had to wait nearly five hours for Alcaraz to finally get past veteran Fabio Fognini to set up the showdown.
It gave him plenty of time to fill in the "journal" he carried on to Court 4 to keep his mind focused under the blazing sunshine.
And yet 21-year-old Tarvet will not be coining it in at SW19.
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Anyone reaching the second round is guaranteed £99,000 but his amateur status - plus American college rules - means he will get only a sliver of the prize money on offer.
Yet Tarvet, who has never before played in front of more than a few hundred spectators, can look forward to walking out in front of nearly 15,000 fans on Centre Court.
The St Albans-born Tarvet admitted: "As a kid, it's what you dream of and work for. But for it to happen so suddenly is really special. For me, though, nothing has really changed.
"I'm quietly confident that I can win against anyone and Alcaraz is no exception to that.
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"Obviously, he's done an incredible amount in the tennis world. He's a difficult guy not to respect.
"But I've got to just go out there and treat it like another match, play the ball, not the player, even if it is going to be pretty special."
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For a student playing his first Grand Slam - having come through three tough rounds of qualifying last week - Tarvet was pretty special as he won 6-4 6-4 6-4 without facing a break point.
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He embraced his team, family and friends in a huge courtside huddle after Riedi hit his backhand long on match point - a huge smile across his face.
Riedi, who got into a row with German umpire Miriam Bley after suggesting she allowed the Brit to take too long between points - and then apologised - admitted he simply had no chance.
He said: "Oliver was a wall, a huge wall, who moved unbelievably.
"I thought that he might get nervous at some point and give me a chance but he just didn't miss at all.
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"He looked like a top-50 player out there and if he can play like that against Alcaraz, it will be tough to beat him."
That would have seemed an unlikely prediction before Alcaraz took more than four-and-a-half hours to finally see off Fognini 7-5 6-7 7-5 2-6 6-1, the five-time Major winner at times looking almost lost for inspiration.
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Alcaraz rushed to the support of a spectator who keeled over, leading to a 15-minute delay in the final set.
And the Spaniard conceded: "The heat was brutal, really difficult to deal with. I felt really nervous to start with - because Wimbledon is just different to any other tournament.
"I need to improve a lot but I know how to deal with tough situations. Champions always find a way to win."
Quizzed over his next opponent, Alcaraz admitted: "I hadn't even heard his name until he qualified.
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"But I watched a bit of his match before I went on court and he played some great tennis.
"I cannot think I'm going to win easily because if I don't play my best, I can lose. If he is in the second round he deserves to be here, whatever his ranking."
Tarvet's student status in the US means he cannot earn more than £7,300 in prize money in a calendar year, although he is allowed to discount "expenses" and to have sponsorship deals - he wore a TK Maxx patch against Riedi.
On the SW19 prize money, he added: "I've got to find £60,000 or £70,000 of expenses. Tennis is an expensive sport.
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"So, maybe I just pay my coaches a little bit extra or fly them business class. But I need to keep humble and make that happen."
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Instead, he will have a priceless adventure against Alcaraz, boosted by his highly personal mental preparation.
Tarvet explained: "My journal is a big thing for me.
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"You could see on the court that I have a little notepad and write things that allow me to focus on what makes me good and gives me success.
"Something that gives me comfort is focusing on those things.
"Those little triggers that keep me in the right headspace. That's given me a lot of success.
"Before or after practice, if there's a feeling, a thought I like, I write it down so I have it on paper and then can use it.
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"When you're playing, especially in front of crowds, it's important not to let the moment get too big or lose your focus. It just keeps me grounded."
Yet if he sends Alcaraz tumbling, you suspect even the journal will make it tough for Tarvet to keep grounded.
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Tarvet signed autographs for his new fans at the end
Credit: PA
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The college student cannot claim the prize money
Credit: PA