Just for a while, a little-known American with a back to front baseball cap threatened to throw cold water all over Murray-Mania on a sizzling day at Wimbledon.
Robert Kendrick was supposed to provide nothing much more than a warm-up session for Andy Murray before the Scot moved on to sterner tests in his mission to become Britain's first men's singles champion at Wimbledon since before World War II.
After all, he had lost 6-0, 6-0 to the world number three in one of their three previous meetings, all won by the Scot, and his form in the build-up to the grasscourt slam would hardly have caused Murray to wake up in a cold sweat.
In the end the Briton launched his assault on a maiden grand slam title with a 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory on Centre Court that was comfortable enough, without being particularly convincing.
Then again, 29-year-old Kendrick, who took Rafael Nadal to five sets here three years ago, played much better than his 76th ranking suggested, swaggering around like a Wild West gunslinger firing off unreturnable serves and scorching forehands.
When he stole the second-set tiebreak with a thunderbolt return off a weak second serve the match threatened to turn into the kind of gut-wrenching cliff-hanger served up by the former British darling of the Centre Court Tim Henman.
Henman, a beacon of middle England, once attracted legions of flag-waving fans on his runs to four Wimbledon semi-finals.
Murray's support is less predictable and there were numerous shouts of "C'mon Robert" throughout the match.
Indeed, Kendrick's gung-ho style and pleasing on the eye serve and volley tactics endeared him to a crowd that was richly entertained throughout the 2-1/2 hour contest.
Unlike Henman, however, the 22-year-old Murray always seemed to be in control, stamping his class on proceedings after withstanding the best that Kendrick could throw his way.
He produced some dazzling touches, impeccable serving and one backhand half-volley from the baseline that had Kendrick shaking his head in disbelief.
Once the American dropped serve at 2-3 in the third set Murray kept his opponent at a safe distance to book a second round match against hard-hitting Latvian Ernests Gulbis, a player the Scot will not be taking lightly.
"I kind of knew what to expect today," Murray, the second-favourite for the title after champion Rafael Nadal's withdrawal through injury, told reporters.
"I was a bit disappointed to lose the second set, because I had a couple of chances and didn't take them.
"I was expecting him to come out, go for some big shots and he pulled some off at the end of the second set.
"It was a tough match but once I got the breakthrough in the third I felt good. Staying calm was a big part of it because he was coming up with some huge serves at important times."
While the atmosphere inside Centre Court was restrained, thousands celebrated Murray's victory out on the All England Club hill forever associated with Henman.
The frenzy will intensify in coming days but Murray remains steadfastly calm amid the clamour for a British champion, even responding kindly to a rude question about his droning Scottish accent.
"I don't really care, to be honest," he responded. "I've said I don't think my voice is particularly interesting but, you know, I don't need it to be. I let my tennis do the talking. I think my tennis is exciting."
