What are the rules used in UTS matches? All you need to know about the unique format ahead of the Frankfurt 2024 edition ft. Ben Shelton, Denis Shapovalov
The latest edition of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, popularly known as UTS, will be held in Frankfurt, Germany, from October 18-20, 2024. Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Musetti are the highest-ranked players to compete in this edition.
Denis Shapovalov, Dominic Thiem, Gael Monfils, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Ugo Humbert and Jan-Lennard Struff complete the eight-man line-up. The fast-paced concept of UTS has won over many new fans.
Traditional rules of tennis don't apply here, and the new concept, while divisive, has proven to be quite exciting. As the format is still quite niche, here's a quick rundown of the UTS rules:
#1 - Match Rules
Each match is divided into four quarters of eight minutes each, with a fifth quarter of "sudden death" also being played if necessary. There's a three-minute changeover between each quarter, which isn't included in the above mentioned eight-minute limit.
First player to win three quarters is crowned the victor. In case of a tie, the sudden death format comes into the picture. The first player to win two consecutive points wins the match, and in this case, every point from the second point is a match point.
There are no service games as such in UTS. Player "A" will serve two points, after which player "B" will serve for the next two points, and the back and forth continues. There's no second serve for players, so if they miss a serve, then they lose that point. There's no let being called as well. This is done to speed up the pace of the match.
Players try to score as many points as possible in each quarter. If at the end of a quarter there is a tie, then a deciding point is contested to award the quarter to a player. There are also bonus cards to spice things up, with each card having a different set of advantages. Each player can use one card per quarter.
On-court coaching is allowed as well, except when a point is being played. Interaction between players and coaches is mandated to be in English, or else the player will receive a point penalty.
#2 - Tournament Rules
All UTS events feature an eight-player field, divided into two groups of four. The top two players from each group qualify for the semifinals, and will later fight for a spot in the final.
The player with the most wins tops the group. In case of a tie, the number of matches played is taken into account. If they are still on even terms, then the head-to-head is considered.
In case of a three-way tie, the best quarter average is used to determine the standings, with a best point average coming into the picture after that, and lastly, a lucky draw.
#3 - League Rules
The UTS League is divided into two categories, regular events and the grand final. Points are awarded after every event to determine the race for the final, much like the race for the ATP and WTA Finals on the regular tour.
Here's a breakdown of the points:
The winner of a regular event directly qualifies for the grand final. Top three players in the race, except for the event winners, also qualify, and lastly, two wildcards will also be awarded.