“Many said that the format was made for me” – Machac and UTS, the perfect combination

On his first experience of UTS, the Czech won the Guadalajara edition without losing a single match

Tomas Machac, UTS Guadalajara, 2025 © Julien Nouet / UTS

February 17, 2025

On his first participation at UTS, Tomas Machac could not have dreamed for a better debut. The Czech won the Guadalajara edition without losing a single match, as Jack Draper did in London’s UTS Grand Final in 2023.

Comfortable with the mid-match interviews that a staple of UTS’ unique environment, “The Air Machete” showed that the format of this event suits him perfectly.

On Sunday, Machac won 3-0 in the semi-finals against Adrian Mannarino and then repeated the feat again in the final against David Goffin. He loved the experience.

“It was great to come to UTS and I’m happy with my performance, especially today. We both played very well. To be able to win in three quarters in both games, it’s something I couldn’t imagine. It’s a very nice change for us. It’s very interesting to play this tournament and the trophy is very beautiful. It’s very different from the ATP,” the Czech told Tennis Majors.

In Guadalajara, Machac became the first player since Draper at the London Grand Final to win a UTS title on his debut appearance. The title in Mexico now qualifies him for the same Grand Final this December.

“I came here thinking it would be easy physically”

Speaking to Jenny Drummond and Max Whittle, Machac spoke about the difficulty of catching his breath between rallies, especially in the altitude of Guadalajara, located at an altitude of more than 1500 meters. Even so, he didn’t expect to struggle so much physically.

“I came here thinking it would be easy physically. But there were two or three moments when it was really complicated, especially when the opponent was trying to push the rally, especially with the sun. It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy that I managed to solve this problem and played some good rallies, even though I was breathing a lot before the points,” explained ‘The Air Machete’.

Despite his first participation in a format that has nothing to do with the regular circuit, his opponents already saw him as a formidable opponent.

“A lot of people said that this format was made for me,” Machac explained.

“Even Casper Ruud before this tournament said he would give me the trophy, so it was a good joke. I was very happy with my game and I was playing very well. But you never know with this format, time flies very quickly, you don’t have time to think and you go for it.

“It’s very mental. But as I said before and as I showed, the pressure is not that high for me. Even when I’m in difficulty, I manage to play good shots, especially when activating the cards,” concluded Machac, who is already a real contender for the title of “UTS Champion” in 2025.