Wimbledon’s Centre Court had a very functional middle Saturday. If Emma Raducanu and Aryna Sabalenka provided Friday night Champagne Supernova viewing, Saturday’s afternoon session felt like a cloudy hangover. Jannik Sinner dispatched Spain’s Pedro Martinez in straight sets under the closed roof, played out in front of the great and good of British sport in the Royal Box (plus Andy Roddick and Billie Jean King).

Martinez is world No. 52 and reached the third round of Wimbledon in 2021 as well. He didn’t have the resume to rattle the world No.1 and everyone present knew that from the start. The 28-year-old’s cause wasn’t helped by a shoulder issue that required the trainer at 0-5 down in the first set. Things could have got very ugly indeed when the Spaniard popped over an 86 mph serve to go a double break behind.

Martinez came out swinging when he knew physicality wasn’t on his side. He won the next six points and played with abandon, the kind of attitude that could at least make some small dents in Sinner’s outer ring of steel. The crowd knew what was going to happen. It was a guaranteed defeat, but effort is never futile. It’s a difficult sell in front of the likes of great Olympians, Dame Laura Kenny and Sir Steve Redgrave.

All three matches on Centre ended in victories for Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek, with an aggregate loss of 17 games between these three multiple Slam winners. Champions know how to dull the opponent’s hope, but this felt like a procession without any light or shade. There was no jeopardy, the very essence of competitive sport.