The show has begun in great fashion – Highlights from UTS Day 1 Day Session
Follow Sunday’s day session of Ultimate Tennis Showdown live! Matches begin at 4:00 PM CET. Enjoy the show!
Feliciano Lopez, UTS1, June 2020
It is the end of this Day session, the first in UTS history. Players delivered entertaining show in this new counting format. See you there in an hour for the beginning of the night session.
Match 3: Feliciano Lopez « The Torero » – Lucas Pouille « The French Flair »
Lopez – Pouille : 17-13, 13-12, 9-13, 11-12, 2-0
SUDDEN DEATH GOES TO LOPEZ!
As he won more points than the Frenchman, the Spaniard serves. Pouille is aiming for a winner but he makes an unforced error. Lopez has a match point. He manages to return a good Pouille first serve and hit a deep backhand that apparently takes the line. That’s tough for Pouille who produced a fantastic effort to come back.
QUARTER 4:
12-11 Pouille: Huge effort from Pouille! The Frenchman carries on with a superb backhand passing shot. He then wins the deciding point to force a sudden death. The first in UTS history!
10-10: What a majestic drop shot from Pouille!! He is back to deuce.
9-7 Lopez: Pouille wins the first points but makes a sliced backhand unforced error on the second. The Spaniard keeps the lead.
8-6 Lopez: Pouille fights back. And he is now using his Steal serve UTS card…
7-4 Lopez: Again, one very smart UTS card move by Feliciano Lopez. 3-4 down, he wins 4 points in a row on his serve to build on a solid lead.
2-2: Both players hold their serve.
QUARTER 3: POUILLE
13-9 Pouille: Pure French Flair! Lucas Pouille tightening his game when it mattered most. He can still win this match if he forces Lopez into a sudden death.
11-9 Pouille: Lopez is going for his “Winners count 3” card. But Pouille gives him no chance to hit one and wins both of the Spaniard’s serve points.
9-9: Battle mode on. Both players hold their serves.
7-5 Lopez: The Lopez serve is something of a weapon. He hit two aces to level the quarter. He then uses his Steal serve card to build on his lead. Clean move.
5-3 Pouille: The Frenchman is making no more mistakes.
3-1 Lopez: As in the two previous quarters, Lopez takes the lead thanks to his serve.
QUARTER 2: LOPEZ
13-12 Lopez: Pouille produces a brilliant come back to 12-12. But on the deciding point, the Spaniard comes to the net and makes a clean finish with a volley and an overhead.
11-9 Lopez: Pouille can also serve and volley! He comes back.
7-5 Lopez: Lucas Pouille uses the same card and makes the most of it to come back to 7-5.
7-1 Lopez: Lopez uses the Steal serve in a brilliant way to cash on his momentum. Is that man 38 years old?
4-0 Lopez: …and he is also returning insanely! He produces two exquisite backhand returns.
2-0 Lopez: The Spaniard is serving superbly.
QUARTER 1: LOPEZ
17-13 Lopez: Lopez takes the opening quarter!
15-11 Lopez: At 11-11, Lopez goes for his Winner x3 card. He looks for the ace and gets it on the second point!! This superb tactical move will give him the set.
9-9: Feliciano “The Torero” Lopez requests a coaching time out.
7-7: Lopez comes to the net twice. The first, he gets hit accidentally by Pouille and loses the point. The second, he prevails as the Frenchman misses his passing shot.
6-6: Ups and downs from both players at the beginning of this match.
3-2 Pouille: Lopez shows patience to come back from 3-0 down.
Match 2: Dustin Brown “The Artist” vs Matteo Berrettini “The Hammer”
Berrettini wins over Brown: 14-10, 12-13, 22-5, 13-12
QUARTER 4: BERRETTINI
13-12 Berrettini: At 11-12, Berrettini goes on with an ace. At 12-12, the Italian wins an unbelievable deciding point. UTS format proved very exciting.
12-11 Brown: Berrettini though we were using his Steal serve card at the very best moment having 1min to play. But he double faults.
9-7 Brown: Despite having only one serve in both serve points, Brown wins them.
7-7: Berrettini is back!
7-3 Brown: Dustin Brown made the most of his UTS cards! Berrettini notably missed a first serve when facing a -1 serve card. The momentum has switched.
5-3 Brown: Brown comes to the net to fight back and it works.
3-1 Berrettini: Berrettini is so physically strong.
“In this format, it can be really tight but also go one way rapidly. I felt I was serving and returning so well“, said Berrettini.
QUARTER 3: BERRETTINI
22-5 Berrettini: What a performance from Berrettini! He displayed some fantastic shots. 27 points were played in this quarter.
15-4 Berrettini: Berrettini continues to run further and further ahead. He notably produced an absolute screamer passing shot with his forehand.
10-3 Berrettini: The Italian enjoys a comfortable lead in this third quarter. No UTS card has been used by both players yet.
3-1 Berrettini: The Hammer cashes on his weapons. He produces a backhand winner and a couple of first serves.
1-0 Brown: Here is an unreal lob from Dustin Brown. He makes it look so easy!
- New balls for the beginning of this third quarter
QUARTER 2: BROWN
13-12 Brown: What a very entertaining end of the quarter! Brown wins the quarter in the decisive point. The Hammer was very close to steal the set.
10-9 Brown: Excellent body serve from the Hammer, who made the most of his Steal serve card. Brown produces an unclassic but efficient return but fails to pass Berrettini who came at the net.
8-4 Brown: Exquisite from the Artist. He uses his “Steal serve” card and wins both points, notably with a good drop shot.
4-2 Brown: A drop shot and two big first serves give The Artist the lead.
2-1 Berrettini: Brown is rushing to the net but the Italian realises a brilliant crosscourt passing shot.
- “I will try but Matteo hit the ball too hard“, answers Dustin Brown to the commentator asking him if he is considering to hit more drop shots.
QUARTER 1: BERRETTINI
14-10 Berrettini: The Hammer gets the job done. He wins the first quarter by 14 points to 10.
11-8 Berrettini: A couple of great first serves from Berrettini consolidates his lead. He uses his “Steal serve” card to carry on.
8-5 Berrettini: Unlucky Artist! He did a brilliant chip and charge approach but Berrettini get a let with his passing-shot. But he is fighting back.
6-1 Berrettini: The Italian is the best player on the court in those first points. Too many unforced errors from the German.
1-0 Brown: Dustin Brown uses the -1 card to force Berrettini to use a second serve. It works as the Italian makes an unforced error in the first point.
Match 1: Elliot Benchetrit “The Underdog” vs Alexei Popyrin “The Sniper”
POPYRIN wins over Benchetrit 15-8, 9-12, 15-12, 14-12
Both players entering the court for the first-ever UTS match! Benchetrit is wearing a “Black Lives Matter” shirt.
QUARTER 4: POPYRIN
Popyrin resisted the Frenchman revolt. He prevails in this fourth quarter and wins the first match in UTS history 3 quarters to 1. He finishes with a terrific forehand!
11-6: The Sniper brings his A-game when it matters most! He also uses his Steal serve card efficiently.
7-6 Popyrin: 5 minutes to go and it is tight!! Coaching and UTS Steal serve cards will be important
6-5 Benchetric: Benchetrit is fighting back! “Allez!”, he screams after a forehand winner down the line.
4-2 Popyrin: Great attacking from Alexei Popyrin. He loudly expresses his satisfaction.
- During the break, Benchetrit says he has to “returns bit better” to have a chance to win this match. If he wants to win, it will have to be in sudden death.
QUARTER 3: POPYRIN
15-12 Popyrin: At 11-12, Benchetrit double fault ruins his comeback. The third quarter goes to the Australian.
12-10 Popyrin: We got the best point of the match so far! Popyrin hits a lob tweener but Benchetrit is careful and hits a brilliant overhead. The Frenchman is back to 10-12. Popyrin uses a time out to break his momentum.
12-6 Popyrin: The Sniper is playing very relax now.
9-3 Popyrin: Popyrin used his UTS card “Steal serve” to serve 4 times in a row. He wins three points and enjoys a strong lead now in this third quarter.
7-2 Popyrin: Benchetrit tries to shorten the points and to mix up his game as he seems less consistent than Popyrin. But the Australian stays ahead.
1-0 Popyrin: The Sniper’s best weapon! Popyrin starts with an ace
QUARTER 2: BENCHETRIT
12-9 BENCHETRIT: The Underdog seemed to nut be in a hurry. Indeed the score was in his favour. He levels the match.
11-8 Benchetrit: We are entering this set money-time. And Benchetrit holds his leads.
7-5 Benchetrit: Stunning tennis from The Sniper. He comes back from 3-7 thanks to a backhand winner down the line and a drop-shot volley. The Australian uses his steal serve card to build on his momentum.
3-1 Benchetrit: Benchetrit uses a card to force his opponent to use his second serve. It worked to put his opponent under pressure as the Frenchman wins the 2 points with winners. 5min30 to go.
3-1 Benchetrit: A couple of mistakes from Popyrin and an ace gives Benchetrit the lead.
QUARTER 1: POPYRIN
15-8 Popyrin: The first set goes to Popyrin “The Sniper”
13-5 Popyrin: Many unforced errors from Benchetrit and Popyrin builds a strong lead.
11-5 Popyrin: Popyrin uses a -1 serve card. It kind of bothered Benchetrit as Popyrin wins the 2 points with a brilliant forehand passing shot and a Benchetrit unforced error.
- First coaching break of UTS history. But little problem: Benchetrit is hearing Popyyrin’s coach. He removed
8-5 Popyrin: Popyrin keeps the lead with a brilliant counter drop-shot.
6-5 Popyrin: A battle of slices goes to Benchetrit, which fought back from 2-6 down.
2-0 Popyrin: Two aces from Alexei Popyrin to start! Incredible. Benchetrit has not touched a ball still as there is no warm-up.
Ultimate Tennis Showdown, today is (really) the day!
Welcome to Tennis Majors where you can follow Sunday’s day session Ultimate Tennis Showdown live. After Saturday’s matches had been postponed, it will be the inaugural day of this brand new competition.
Here are the matches on tap for this session:
- Match 1 – 4:00 PM CET: Elliot Benchetrit “The Underdog” vs Alexei Popyrin “The Sniper”
- Match 2 – 5:15 PM CET: Dustin Brown “The Artist” vs Matteo Berrettini “The Hammer”
- Match 3 – 6:30 PM CET: Feliciano Lopez “The Torero” vs Lucas Pouille “The French Flair”
Tomorrow’s #UTShowdown order of play is out.
Crossing fingers for better weather 🤞 pic.twitter.com/scnyIg6oTd
— UTS | Ultimate Tennis Showdown (@UTShowdown) June 13, 2020
To experience UTS intensity and enjoy the show as if you were at the Mouratoglou Academy, you are at the right place!
