UTS after Day 5: Impressive Berrettini and revenant Tsitsipas send clear message
Here are highlights, upsets, quotes, results, standings and schedule after Ultimate Tennis Showdown Day 5. Matteo Berrettini, who brilliantly won over Richard Gasquet, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, who produced a majestic comeback, top the rankings after Day 5.
Matteo Berrettini, UTS 2020
The leader after UTS Day 5
Such solid tennis from Matteo Berrettini
The Italian is in cruise mode at the Mouratoglou Academy. The world No 8, who had some rest on the French Riviera over the week, looked all the better for it as he clinched a second 4-0 victory, this time over Richard Gasquet, having hammered Benoit Paire in similar fashion last weekend. The victory was something of a statement and Berrettini moves to the top of the rankings.
Changing of the Guard ⚔️#UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/I1WehclWob
— UTS Tour (@uts_tour_) June 27, 2020
The Italian won 13-12, 21-11, 12-11, 16-14, giving him 14/6 quarter difference and a +59 point difference. His only loss came to Feliciano Lopez last weekend, in a match in which Berrettini was not himself after the second quarter, when Lopez played by the rules and let the clock ran out on purpose to win the second quarter, a move that left Berrettini angry for the rest of the match. His win over Gasquet puts him top above Stefanos Tsitsipas on quarters won.
The UTS Day 5 Thriller
Tsitsipas’ comeback win over Lopez
Only one candidate for this: Stefanos Tsitsipas coming from two quarters down, and saving a match point, to beat Feliciano Lopez in sudden death. Lopez played his UTS cards beautifully in the first two quarters, serving big and taking his winner x 3 opportunities. He had a chance to finish it in three but Tsitsipas held firm and slowly, brutally, reeled him in. By the end, Lopez was running on empty and a double fault in sudden-death gave the Greek God victory, making him the first man in the competition to come from two quarters down to win a match.
How in the world did he… 🤯 @StefTsitsipas with a top shelf winner.#UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/eZFeS8WCsq
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) June 27, 2020
The UTS Day 5 outsider
Alexei Popyrin’s rout of Benoit Paire
In terms of ranking, it has to be the 4-0 victory by Alexei Popyrin over Benoit Paire, the world No 22. On paper, Paire might have been favourite but a little pain in his shoulder didn’t help, and nor did the performance of Popyrin, the Australian banging down bullets on serve and more than matching the Frenchman from the baseline. In truth, this one wasn’t even close.
The UTS Day 5 point of the day
The battle of artists did not disappoint
This point also deserves the point of the tournament award for now. Drop shot, counter drop shot, lob trick shot, backhand air volley, this rally features some unbelievable shots one after the other. Get set and enjoy!
Is this even tennis? 😮🔥
Point of the weekend… or point of the MONTH? 🤔@moutet99 and @DreddyTennis putting on a show. #UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/kb2KugWiEh
— UTS Tour (@uts_tour_) June 27, 2020
Play the rules
Paire wants two serves
Anyone want to remind Benoît Paire he has only one serve when facing the “-1 serve card”? On Saturday, the Frenchman missed his only serve on five occasions out of six in the first three quarters when Popyrin used the card against him. The Frenchman doesn’t know what safety means and goes for broke. His opponents know it. Last week, during his landslide victory over the Frenchman, Matteo Berrettini admitted he had selected this card especially because of Paire. Considering how handsome the dividends were, expect Corentin Moutet to adapt his card selection and go for the “-1 serve” UTS card on Sunday.
The quote
“I think I’m the most negative guy on Tour” – Dominic Thiem referring to the fact that he’s been tested for Covid-19 more times than anyone recently, having played at the ill-fated Adria Tour, where Novak Djokovic, among others, tested positive for the virus.
"I think I'm the most negative guy on tour"
@ThiemDomi#UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/DkuHZ31NO0
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) June 27, 2020
The results
The Tornado Moutet breezes past The Artist Brown to notch second UTS win, 18-10, 13-10, 20-10, 18-8
Popyrin downs frustrated Paire in ‘Popcorn Match’ to seal third win of UTS, 19-10, 17-13, 22-11, 18-16
Brawn triumphs over aesthetics as Berrettini beats Gasquet in UTS, 13-12, 21-11, 12-11, 16-14
Stefanos Tsitsipas comes from two down to beat Felciano Lopez in sudden death, 13-16, 14-16, 13-12, 16-11, 2-0
Dominic Thiem too strong for The Wall, David Goffin, winning 15-10, 16-10, 13-10, 14-16
The ranking
(Match won-lost, quarters won-lost, point difference)
Day 6 schedule
UTS is back on Sunday
Day session
- 4:00pm CET: Richard Gasquet “The Virtuoso” vs Corentin Moutet “The Tornado”
- 5:15pm CET: Dominic Thiem “Domi” vs Matteo Berrettini “The Hammer”
- 6:30pm CET: Dustin Brown “The Artist” vs David Goffin “The Wall”
Night session
- 9:00pm CET: Feliciano Lopez “The Torero” vs Benoît Paire “The Rebel”
- 10:15pm CET: Stefanos Tsitsipas “The Greek God” vs Alexei Popyrin “The Sniper”
READ ALSO:
- UTS after Day 4: Gasquet dazzled all weekend, Thiem edged Tsitsipas at the finish
- UTS 2020 in 10 Questions: Players, Broadcasts, Schedule…
- UTS: Quarters, UTS cards, coaching timeouts… Discover all the rules!
To watch again this weekend matches, you can sign in on UTS site
