UTS 2023 in 10 Questions: Players, Venues, Rules, Schedule…

You can follow the UTS on their website, Twitter account and Facebook page.

What is the Ultimate Tennis Showdown?

Ultimate Tennis Showdown (or simply UTS) is a new way to experience tennis. Think of it as an experiment, and be ready for something different. Mouratoglou himself has described the event as a “laboratory” that can help move the sport forward by engaging fans in new ways.

Started in 2020, UTS made it’s home at the Patrick Mouratoglou Tennis Academy three times, before branching out to Antwerp for edition four.

In 2023 the event moves to the United States for the first time – it will be held in Southern California in July 20-23.

After that edition, UTS will return to Europe in September and then will conclude with two events in Asia/the Middle East, at a venue to be confirmed in the coming weeks, the second of which will be the Grand Final.

What is the 2023 UTS schedule?

2023 UTS SCHEDULE

• July 20-23 / USA
• September 14-17 / Europe
• November 30 to December 3 / Asia – Middle East (player field to be announced)
• December 7-10 / Grand Final /Asia – Middle East (player field to be announced)

Which players will take part?

American Frances Tiafoe aka‘Big Foe’, Tiafoe joins an impressive line-up that already includes 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick ‘King’ Kyrgios, top-ranked American Taylor ‘The Hotshot’ Fritz, and former top 10 player Diego ‘El Peque’ Schwartzman.

Ben Shelton, Alexander Bublik, Gael Monfils and Wu Yibing have also joined the star-studded eight-player field.

VIP Hospitality & Experiences are now on sale for @UTShowdown. Join us from 7/19 – 7/23 in LA for incredible behind-the-scenes experiences with stars like Nick Kyrgios, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and more.

Head to https://t.co/Hqp8iUxo3x to secure your spot! pic.twitter.com/Y3pXggyn8g

— PIVOT Agency (@PIVOTAgency) June 24, 2023

What is the tournament schedule?

You can see the full lineup for UTS L.A. here:

Friday and Saturday's program is so hot 🔥

Who do you think will make it out of the pools and into the final four?

📆 21-23 July – @dignityhealthsp in Los Angeles.
🎟️ Don't wait to book the best seats in the stadium: https://t.co/iGCTicGjpa pic.twitter.com/ts9l7dXZWm

— UTS 🎾 – LA (21-23 July), Frankfurt (15-17 Sept) (@UTShowdown) May 26, 2023

Go to utslive.tv for the complete schedule.

What about the Frankfurt event?

The second UTS Event of 2023 will take place after the US Open, from September 15-17.

Who will play in the Frankfurt UTS?

Daniil “The Chessmaster”Medvedev, Olympic gold medallist Andrey “Rublo” Rublev, and 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Nick “King” Kyrgios lead the field, which also features Gael “La Monf” Monfils, Diego “El Peque” Schwartzman, Benoit “The Rebel” Paire and Reilly “The Bot” Opelka.

One player is yet to be named, so stay tuned for an upcoming announcement.

Ticket sales for Frankfurt are now open via the website, with prices as low as 29 euros – and the format of the competition means that all ticket-holders are guaranteed to see each of the eight players in action on both September 15th and 16th.

What is the prize-money?

Prize money distribution depends on a player’s UTS standing combined with how they do in their match (preliminary UTS standings directly correlate to current ATP rankings). UTS match winners receive 70 percent of the showdown prize pool, while losers still receive 30 percent of that pool. While it’s a win-win for both players in this sense, there’s still a lot of money and pride at stake.

Using a player-centric competition format, UTS is committed to financially distributing a major part of its advertising and broadcasting revenue directly to players. Through the UTS platform, active players of all levels should feasibly generate a comparable or better income compared to other known tennis circuits.

What are the rules?

As in previous editions, the UTS will include a range of innovations, including:

• four quarters of eight minutes
• a sudden death tiebreaker
• one serve only
• 15 seconds shot clock between the points
• mid-match interviews
• a loosened code of conduct
• on-court coaching
• bonus cards
• an iconic lightning bolt trophy… and more.

How many matches will be played?

There will be 15 matches played – six on Saturday and six on Sunday, followed by the semi-finals and final on Sunday.

In what ways it the UTS different than other ATP and WTA events?

UTS will experiment with fan interaction and allow players to express themselves in free, unique ways. Mouratoglou says he wants players to communicate with the crowd, even if they can’t be in attendance, so expect social media and technology to play a role. UTS will provide alternative opportunities for touring professionals and their fans to enjoy competitive tennis.

If you love the game and want more of the personality and the passion that the players bring, then UTS is for you!

Nick ‘King’ Kyrgios will discover UTS rules in #LosAngeles (July 21-23). One serve? Game against the clock? 15 seconds between two points? Coaching? No fear… 🇦🇺 #tennis #uts @NickKyrgios pic.twitter.com/QXRfh3wEr3

— UTS 🎾 – LA (21-23 July), Frankfurt (15-17 Sept) (@UTShowdown) June 19, 2023

Who is the tournament director of UTS?

Patrick Mouratoglou is the co-founder and director of UTS. Alex Popyrin, Alexei Popyrin’s father, is also co-founder of the tournament.

• Read also: Patrick Mouratoglou answers Tennis Majors’s questions about the UTS
• Read also: UTS: The full-length interview with Patrick Mouratoglou