Some of the best tennis players in the world are set to return to action at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown,…
Some of the best tennis players in the world are set to return to action at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, live from the French Riviera starting May 16, 2020.
What is the Ultimate Tennis Showdown?
The brainchild of Patrick Mouratoglou and Alex Popyrin – the father of rising star Alexei – the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) will give fans the opportunity to watch live tennis while the tour is suspended indefinitely, along with allowing players the chance to compete and redistribute the prize-money on offer to help support lower-ranked players.
The UTS will be staged at the Mouratoglou Academy in the luxurious surroundings of Sophia Antipolis in the south of France, which has played host to Challenger tournaments in the last few years. Superstars such as Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas have also used the Mouratoglou Academy as a training base during their careers.
Beginning on June 13, a total of 10 matches will be played every weekend for five weeks, meaning fans will have the chance to watch 50 fixtures throughout May and June.
Strict social distancing measures will be in place for the players and limited number of staff on hand at the event as to adhere to the policies introduced to help combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
No fans will be able to attend the competition, but they will be able to interact with the players online and listen to exchanges between players and coaches through the on-court microphones.
With a marketing slogan of ‘Live Tennis. Like NEVER Before’, the UTS promises to deliver an entertaining fix of professional tennis beamed digitally around the world.
“The UTS is simply meant to be an alternative to what already exists,” said Mouratoglou, who is the long-time coach of Serena Williams. “It’s a platform created to showcase the incredible talent, athleticism and personalities of the wide range of players.
“It offers a new and innovative approach, targeting a younger tennis audience and proposes a different way to distribute the money among the players.”
Ultimate Tennis Showdown Live Stream: How can I watch the UTS live online?
Fans will be able to watch the Ultimate Tennis Showdown live online. Stay tuned here for the latest news and links regarding an Ultimate Tennis Showdown live stream in the coming weeks.
Ultimate Tennis Showdown Players: Who is playing the UTS?
World No. 10 David Goffin and rising Australian star Alexei Popyrin have already been confirmed to be the first match of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, with the pair set to launch the tournament on Saturday June 13.
World No. 11 Fabio Fognini and World No. 22 Benoit Paire were the next players announced, while Lucas Pouille and Dustin Brown have also been confirmed.
Are. You. Not. Entertained?!@benoitpaire is in.#UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/Lbs6RjueSe
— UTS | Ultimate Tennis Showdown (@UTShowdown) April 19, 2020
We’ll update this page with more player announcements as they come to hand.
UTS confirmed entry list
?? David Goffin (No. 10)
?? Fabio Fognini (No. 11)
?? Benoit Paire (No. 22)
?? Lucas Pouille (No. 58)
?? Alexei Popyrin (No. 103)
?? Dustin Brown (No. 239)
Ultimate Tennis Showdown Draw, Fixtures and Schedule
The full tournament format and draw has yet to be confirmed, but we can expect further announcements surrounding the schedule in the lead-up to the event.
Ultimate Tennis Showdown Order of Play
Check back here soon when the order of play for each day is announced.