League 2025

The second official season of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown brought big changes to the UTS format – and a new surface! For the first time in the history of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, the surface in play was clay. And that wasn’t the only thing that was different at UTS4, compared to the previous edition of UTS (UTS3, played in Antwerp in October of 2020).  

For the first time in any tennis format, second serves were not a part of the equation. There was also a 15-second shot clock between points. 

Talk about fast and furious! If you want a great workout, try playing clay-court tennis in ten-minute quarters, with no second serves, just like the pros did in Nice… 

The tournament turned out to be a revelation on many levels, and the eventual champion was the ultimate eye-opener. 

In one of the biggest surprises in the history of UTS, Parisian Corentin Moutet ran the table on the red clay at the Mouratoglou Academy, winning all five of his matches to claim the title in commanding fashion. 

Talented, tumultuous and seemingly born to be a UTS star, Moutet thumped world-beating Daniil Medvedev and Fabio Fognini en route to the final, then took out powerhouse Taylor Fritz for the trophy. 

Part tornado – it was his nickname, after all – and part showman, Moutet embraced the competition with 100 percent of his being, and it showed in his game. The Frenchman used the cards, which players use to gain precious points by employing specific tactics, to perfection. 

Medvedev was nicknamed “the Chessmaster” for the competition, but it was Moutet who made the other players look like pawns to his queen. 

“I think it helps me to be more offensive, with the cards,” Moutet would say. “To get the two points, the winners, you have to be offensive. It’s pushing me to be like this, I think it’s a great format for me, it’s pushing me to be a great player.” 

It wasn’t just tactics that made Moutet embrace the Ultimate Tennis Showdown. Moutet also enjoyed the fact that at UTS, players are encouraged to be themselves on court. Showboat, talk trash, argue, get frustrated – anything goes! 

“I love this feeling, to be free on the court, to express myself,” he said. “You can see that everybody who was watching the match liked it, not because of me but because of all the players, because we are human, we are authentic.”

Late in 2020, as the tennis tours finally started to roll again, The Ultimate Tennis Showdown was in full flight and preparing for a blockbuster third edition, in Antwerp, Belgium. For the first time in the history of the event, UTS was going to be held away from the Mouratoglou Academy in Nice, and in conjunction with an official ATP event (The European Open, an ATP 250). 

It was a perfect package. On the weekend before the tournament, stars arrived to give the fans a taste of tennis without constraints – what could the sport look like if the imagination was allowed to run wild? 

In a six-player field that included tour stalwarts Dan Evans, Taylor Fritz, Richard Gasquet, Pablo Andujar, Alex de Minaur and Feliciano Lopez – more new changes were introduced to keep the UTS format entertaining, and challenging. 

That talented sextet congregated on the weekend before the main draw began in Antwerp and carried out their own high-stakes affair. 

It was De Minaur – nicknamed “The Demon,” of course – that stole the show. The Aussie was in absolutely breathtaking form, but he didn’t win easily in the final. He was pushed to the brink by UTS veteran Richard Gasquet, who had finally reached the final for the first time after valiantly qualifying for the semi-finals at UTS1 and UTS2. 

De Minaur snagged the victory, 24-9, 15-14, 17-16, 19-11, and later said: 

“It’s been an interesting new format. I had fun. Definitely helped me out a lot to get some on-court time and get used to this court for the following week. I’m very happy to be able to come out and play some good tennis.” 

At one point De Minaur snatched his brother from the bleachers and brought him on board as his coach. It was pure gold from an entertainment perspective, as the pair shared the mic during changeovers, talking tactics and joking. It was also a productive pairing. Atypical to be sure, but ultimately effective – just like the competition itself. 

Like the previous three UTS winners (Matteo Berrettini, Alexander Zverev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova), the Demon was wide-eyed when he first laid eyes on the thunderbolt trophy and he had a blast during the competition’s one-of-a-kind, heavy metal trophy ceremony. 

“I’m hoping (the trophy) gives me superpowers,” De Minaur said. “I’m sure I’ll find somewhere in my house for it.”

Alexander Zverev chose his own nickname for the second edition of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown – the Lion – and played with the fierceness of a predator as he took home the thunderbolt trophy in the second iteration. UTS2 was once again hosted by the Mouratoglou Academy in Nice, providing the players and staff a comfortable bubble to make tennis history in. 

The timing was perfect. In late July of 2020, the tennis tour was still shut down and fans were craving a dose of tennis – and some levity to boot. UTS seized the opportunity to create something indelible. The second UTS was a lot like the first edition in that it offered fans something outside the box; something that might change a sport that many believed needed a breath of fresh air, and the players were happy to play their part and give it a try. 

Zverev would eventually claim the UTS2 title by the thinnest of margins, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime – “the Panther” – in sudden death in a thrilling final. 

“It’s a very special thing for everybody right now, no sport in six months,” Zverev said before the event took place. “So we can prepare better, we can do things that you usually can’t do. I think it is going to be great being on court again.

The women play their part 

For the first time in the history of UTS, the women were a part of the field. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Alizé Cornet in – you guessed it – sudden death! It was a meaningful experience for the veteran Russian. She was just beginning a career renaissance – Pavlyuchenkova would reach her first major final less than a year later at Roland-Garros – and she had a feeling that UTS2 was going to prove to be a nice steppingstone.

“I love winning no matter what it is.” said Pavlyuchenkova with a smile. “It’s just nice.” 

It was nice for Zverev as well. Less than two months later the German would reach his maiden Grand Slam final at the 2020 US Open. 

Coincidence or the UTS bump? The jury is still out… 

The most unique part of UTS2, once again, was in the cards. Players were able to force their opponents to serve-and-volley for a certain number of points in this edition. It created some crazy tennis, just what UTS co-founder Patrick Mouratoglou wanted! 

Also new was the elimination of lets on serve. Another change that might someday soon find its way to the ATP and WTA Tours. 

The courageous ones who are willing to embrace change are often the ones who make history… 

Patrick Mouratoglou didn’t waste any time bringing the best and brightest in tennis to the court at the inaugural Ultimate Tennis Showdown. The star-studded event, held at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in the South of France in June of 2020, featured Matteo Berrettini, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Richard Gasquet, Feliciano and many other household names. 

A veritable who’s who of the ATP Tour… 

Those names weren’t the only ones we used, however. At Ultimate Tennis Showdown, the players all adopt catchy nicknames, and the one that was the most catchy at UTS 1 belonged to Matteo Berrettini – the man nicknamed “The Hammer” became the first ever champion at the event. 

UTS1 was a success on many levels. It made headlines for its experimental format as well as its stacked player field. Four 10-minute quarters, with a groundbreaking sudden death session if necessary, plus… the cards! Players chose cards such as “winner counts 3” and “steal serve” in order to enhance their strengths – and their opponent’s weaknesses. 

There was also unlimited coaching via headset and a 15-second shot clock between points – staples of the format that have influenced the tours in recent years. 

A “feel good” affair 

UTS1 provided the tennis world with a rare moment of joy during the first year of the pandemic, when tennis was shut down across the globe. The Ultimate Tennis Showdown brought the sport to life again, breathing air into the lungs by broadcasting thrilling live tennis to the world in a wild, compelling format that had never been seen before. 

The first litmus test was easily passed: the players were thrilled to be a part of it. 

Richard Gasquet – aptly nicknamed “The Virtuoso” – was one of the best players in the competition, and he cherished being a part of this fledgling show. Same for Feliciano Lopez, Dominic Thiem and Dustin Brown. These stars lent further panache to the event, which was memorable on many levels. 

Sudden death? Sudden joy! 

The introduction of sudden death, a winner-take-all format to decide matches that were tied at 2 quarters (sets, if you will) all, seemed to suit “Greek God” Stefanos Tsitsipas (yes, that really was his nickname), as he won four matches in the extra session. 

The two-time Grand Slam finalist, who fell just short in the final against Berrettini, had good things to say about the new format. 

“I think it is a new format that allows for more variety in our game. It’s a good concept and it’s going to show and provide people something new in the industry of tennis. I see that as an evolutionary product and something that’s going to just expand the horizons of tennis” said the top Greek. 

In the end the hammer fell upon all challengers and Berrettini came away with the title. The Italian was celebrated in one of the most unique trophy celebrations we’ve ever seen, then it was on to UTS 2…