Gael Monfils, showman and acrobat, still needs some convincing that he can be a force on grass.
Making the middle Sunday day off at The Championships would be a step in the right direction but the flamboyant Frenchman is not making any plans, yet.
A second-round win against Britain's Kyle Edmund on Centre Court edged him another step towards the milestone of reaching the second week for the first time.
Monfils would not be Monfils without hitting turbulence at some stage during a match but after steering past the first set via a one-sided tie-break, the No.15 seed was back to his diving, extrovert self to record a 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4 victory.
The inevitable followed: questions about his declaration that he had "not played well on grass for 10 years".
"I feel the same," Monfils said. "I think I'm a good tennis player and I've never done so good on grass. Never passed the third round at Wimbledon. Never had great results on grass. But maybe I have a better understanding about myself."
That was evident last week when he reached the final at Eastbourne, even if he did finish with a strapped knee and limping. There was little sign of impaired movement on Centre Court as he disappointed the home crowd rooting for a Briton.
Edmund, who conquered countryman Alex Ward in the first round, described that win as a "dream come true". His awakening came in two hours and 12 minutes and with unforced errors at crucial times.
He was not too downhearted, however, saying: "Every year I am learning and trying to get better on grass and I did get my first win at Wimbledon. Next year I hope I can get a few wins coming into Wimbledon and also at The Championships.
"I don’t need a run at Wimbledon to announce myself to the British public. I am playing to win not for popularity or my image. I am going to take some time off and then head to America starting in Atlanta."
Edmund is still getting to grips with his grass court game and paid for only converting two of seven break points against a player who is easy on the eye but can also pack a punch when required. It was required in the first set when Edmund pushed him all the way to a tie-break only to lose it 7-1 and the set 7-6 in 56 minutes of power tennis.
"I played a solid match and the first set was a big battle and a big moment in the match," Monfils conceded. "Kyle put up a great fight and I still have a few issues with my knee which I injured in Eastbourne."
Monfils struggled again to keep his feet on Centre Court and 22-year-old Edmund cashed in by cancelling out an early second set break, to the delight of the home support.
"I am just trying to understand tennis on the grass but I am not a big fan
The Briton found his serve coming under real pressure from Monfils and did not help matters with a loose forehand which put the Frenchman in the driving seat. Second set duly delivered, leaving Edmund with the challenge of coming back from two sets down for the first time in his career.
He made a fist of it, breaking early in the third set after a clever drop shot but the fightback did not last. A change of racket for Monfils saw him crank up his serve to 136mph.
When the Frenchman fired off a brilliant backhand down the line it made it four games won in a row to dramatically shift the momentum again. Another break for Monfils allowed him to move into the third round.
