Wimbledon Prize Money Paradox: College Star Oliver Tarvet's £99,000 Windfall Comes With a Catch After Alcaraz Loss

Oliver Tarvet, a 21-year-old college student from Great Britain, made a splash at Wimbledon 2025, despite his second-round defeat to world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz. While Tarvet walked away with significant prize money, amateur rules prevent him from accessing the full amount.

Britain's Oliver Tarvet celebrates winning his match against Switzerland's Leandro Riedi in the first round of the men’s singles at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. (PA via AP)

Ranked 733rd globally, Tarvet faced the formidable Alcaraz on Centre Court. Despite a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 loss, Tarvet described the experience as "the most special day of my life." He demonstrated resilience against the five-time Grand Slam champion, who is aiming for his third consecutive Wimbledon title.

"It's not every day that you get to play against maybe the best player in the world," Tarvet commented. "I did a pretty good job of kind of enjoying the moment and trying to also play some good tennis at the same time."

Tarvet acknowledged the initial nerves, admitting, "I woke up a couple times in the night from the adrenaline... Obviously there were nerves... I kind of knew that the first set might be difficult because it's not a stage that I'm used to."

Despite the pressure, Tarvet challenged Alcaraz, even securing an early break in the second set, much to the crowd's delight. However, Alcaraz quickly responded, highlighting the difference in their current skill levels.

"Credit to him, he plays the big points just incredibly well," Tarvet admitted. "That's the difference... But even though it was not the result that I wanted today, it was definitely the most special day of my life."

The Prize Money Predicament

Oliver Tarvet returns the ball to Carlos Alcaraz in his second round men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. (AP)

Reaching the second round earned Tarvet £99,000 (Rs 1.15 crore). However, due to his amateur status as a US college student at the University of San Diego, he can't access the full amount without jeopardizing his eligibility. He humorously mentioned potentially traveling back to the US on a private jet, a nod to his limited access to the funds.

Tarvet remains committed to his college career. "I still want to go back to the University of San Diego," he stated. "I have a lot of personal goals that I still haven't achieved as a team at USD... There's definitely some things that I want to achieve before I go full-time."

Reflecting on his Wimbledon experience, Tarvet emphasized the power of mindset. "Most about myself is just how powerful the mind is," he said. "I feel statistically or on paper, I wasn't supposed to win some of the matches that I won, but I backed myself against those guys."

Alcaraz, currently enjoying a 20-match winning streak, praised Tarvet's performance. "I told him just congratulations for the run, keep it going, keep working hard," Alcaraz said. "He played with such a good passion out there, that is really important. If he keeps practising hard and playing in a professional level, I think he can go far."