What a point! No one thinks Alcaraz’s backhand, desperately struck on the run is going in, until it does, and in triumphant, he points a finger up to the sky in recognition of the awestruck crowd.

Another backhand, this time a leaping volley at the net, is a far more obvious winner, and hands him a love-40 lead.

Vukic climbs back in and creeps to 30-40, desperate to stay on level footing, but when he stretches to smash Alcaraz, his attempt at deuce lands just wide of the lines.

Alcaraz has his break – and the way he started the game, it seemed inevitable.

The champion sends a stinging forehand right onto the sideline at the back of the court for 30-15, looking every inch a world beater, but is wonkier when it comes time for him to try a little serve and volley at 40-15, and his ensuing shot lands squarely in the netting.

But as much as Vukic would like to steal a march, there’s little signs of Alcaraz’s game being rocked, and with an ace, he pulls off the hold.

Things are well balanced. But Alcaraz is unlikely to blink first.

Alcaraz gets on the front foot with an elegant slice over the net which Vukic can’t sprint to meet, but he makes a rare forehand mistake to allow the Australian a toehold in the game.

Vukic is put under pressure in the final rally, but responds well, misdirecting Alcaraz on the baseline before sending a flying winner past him to complete his hold.

The crowd oohs and ahhs in big-top style under the roof as Vukic moves well to cling on in an early breakneck rally, before wafting a dropshot over the net which Alcaraz can’t hoover up.

But the 21-year-old wrenches back the lead with two aces, 30-15, and sets up game point after receiving two helping hands from the netcord before Vukic hits long.

Alcaraz is tested a little more than in his opening service game, but his hold is a straightforward one. No surprises just yet, thank you.

Vukic whips a smooth, flat forehand over the net low which Alcaraz can’t scoop up, instead firing his return into the netting for 40-love.

The Spaniard can climb into the points when his opponent squanders a forehand, but Vukic is able to keep the pressure up on Alcaraz to hold cleanly.

Vukic doesn’t do badly at all with Alcaraz’s opening serve, equal to it and nimble on the baseline to send a backhand winner down the line and past Alcaraz’s grasp.

But Alcaraz gets off the mark next, before serving up an unreturnable to put himself 30-15 up. Vukic clubs his next backhand return long, before Alcaraz cleans up with an ace.

And a huge cheer goes up for Alcaraz, easily one of the most popular players of his generation, who rewards the fans in the stands with a smile.

Not really one for visible pre-match nerves is the 21-year-old.

At the tender age of 20, this is the world No2’s fifth Wimbledon, six years on from beating Venus Williams and announcing her presence in the most dramatic style.

With the same number of Grand Slam participations as years on this planet, Gauff made light work of the qualifier Anca Todoni, 6-2 6-1 on No1 Court.

She’ll play the winner of Kartal-Burel (currenly the Briton, who is a set to the good and 3-1 up in the second) in the next round.

It’s the champion incumbent himself, Carlos Alcaraz, against world No69 Aleksandar Vukic.

The Spaniard breezed through his Centre Court opener – as is his right as last year’s winner – against qualifier Mark Lajal, he of the impressive Wimbledon trophy topper-esque hairstyle.

By contrast, Vukic was taken the distance by Ofner, and will be preparing for equally choppy waters today.

Don’t cry because it’s over, etc.

Instead, you can reminisce about Murray’s great Wimbledon outings, via Matthew Lambert’s insights below.

We may have been robbed of a final singles match before time, but hopefully his doubles showings can bring his time in SW19 to a close with some pomp and occasion.

But Vukic will hope Alcaraz is haunted by their one unofficial meeting in 2020’s Australian Open qualifiers.

Vukic holds the honour of being the only Australian player to have ever beaten the Wimbledon champion, which he did 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 battling for a main draw spot in Melbourne.

It might be harder to take the Spaniard in three sets now.

After seeing out a Brit-packed first round, the cohort is notably thinner for the second round, but there are two women’s players worth keeping an eye on due to step up later in the day.

Both Sonay Kartal and Yuriko Lily Miyazaki came through qualifiers to book their spot in SW19 this year, with the former defeating impressively despatching No29 seed Sonya Cirstea in the first round.

They will play Clara Burel of France and Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina respectively, with Dan Evans finishing off his rain-delayed match against Alejandro Tabilo on Court 12.

As things stand, Kartal leads Burel 5-2 in the first set.

In the biggest news of the day so far, a surprise announcement which eager portmanteau-watchers have already dubbed ‘Murrucanu’ (yikes).

The news comes just one day after Murray’s devastating withdrawal from his final singles draw. But along with a partnership in the men’s doubles with his brother Jamie, Wimbledon clearly hasn’t seen the last of their two-time champion.

You can read more from Mail Sport’s Matthew Lambert, below.

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog, coming to you from No1 Court on a thoroughly miserable Wednesday afternoon – weatherwise, of course. Would it be a British summer without it?

Play has been stop-start on the outdoor courts, but under the roof on the two biggest show courts, things are well and truly underway.

There’s an especially good card on No1 Court, as Carlos Alcaraz continues his trophy defence against Aleksandar Vukic, before home favourite Emma Raducanu attempts to bypass Elise Mertens in the final match of the evening.

Elsewhere, there’s Naomi Osaka, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini to come on Centre Court, and a slew of Brits around the ground.