Change is now… In a world of tennis stopping until at least August, Patrick Mouratoglou launches this Saturday afternoon in his academy (the Mouratoglou Academy) in the Nice region, the Ultimate Tennis Showdown , the first post-containment competition on French soil. An event bringing together ten players (including four in the top 10) over five weekends in a completely new format, even completely baroque.
Think a little. Ten-minute quarter-time matches (the one with the most points wins the quarter) with a two-minute break, coaches equipped with microphones that press a buzzer to request time-outs, a streamlined code of conduct , direct interaction with Internet users and above all an innovation worthy of Pokémon with a system of four cards to be conveniently taken out of its sleeve. We can thus force the opponent to make a stolen service, remove a service or try to double his bet by winning the following point…
"We have three assets," smiles Patrick Mouratoglou, observing the central office from the terrace which overlooks the 34 courts of a complex still expanding. A magnificent plateau, a circuit with a fun and different format… and we have been the only tennis competition for three months and before a good time! The launch was scheduled for May 16. It was finally postponed for a month at the discretion of government orders and directives.
"It feels good to find a social life in tennis"
Even if the noose loosens and the premises have largely come back to life, the UTS had to submit to specifications to obtain the prefectural authorizations. Some participants have been on the site for a few days or weeks (Tsitsipas or Popyrin, who have an apartment on site, or Goffin, who lives in Monaco…), others arrived at the last moment (Gasquet), but all have been tested. .
A maximum of ten people (players, referees, gloved ball collectors, etc.) will have access to the court. The coaches and relatives will be divided into two white tents that overlook the playing area. And the public, of course, will be absent.
“It still feels good to find a social life in tennis, blows the Belgian David Goffin, n ° 10 in the world. It is at least nice to have a target in sight, because we all want to do well. Then you will have to get used to these totally disrupted rules, you will have to play tactics. It can go very fast and I think it's a lot of fun to watch. "
Benoit Paire is already breaking his racket…
Sixteen cameras will broadcast the fifty games in total, where everyone can give free rein to their character. “We must stop leaving players with a space for expression as large as a thimble, loose Mouratoglou. Instances give unconditional support to arbitrators even when they make mistakes. I am the opposite of what is done on the circuit and I completely encourage players to be themselves. Losing control a bit or showing roughness is just authentic. To force the line, Benoît Paire, in his new blond-pink cut, already breaks his racket as early as the promo clip…
You're in for a wild ride.
Watch #UTShowdown live on https://t.co/hDMilxb7ot from this Saturday! pic.twitter.com/2q6LZFB7cm
Champions are not against progress. Pouille would like to be forgiven for certain behaviors in ATP tournaments. "We have had habits since childhood," notes Goffin. We are mentally, tactically prepared. It would take time to adapt but we could get used to it. Shorter matches can be fun for the audience. The sets in four games of the Youth Masters make it possible to keep people in suspense because there are immediately important moments. In Grand Slam, at the start of the 5th set, people prefer to take a break… ”
“Tennis will never be the same after the Covid”
Serena Williams' coach dreams of seeing the two universes coexist and is already thinking about the profile of players who could shine in his hypothetical tennis of tomorrow. "If there are two circuits, each will have to choose the one that suits him best because the training and training will not be the same," he anticipates. Today, the ability to collect charges on a daily basis is becoming a major element. Djokovic, Nadal and Thiem are the three biggest physical beasts in history. In UTS the importance goes to the tactics, the technique, to the mind with making quick choices, the effort is different. If all the best in the world played UTS, I'm not sure we would have the same top 3. "
Even @StefTsitsipas was impressed 👏
Exceptional court coverage by @David__Goffin at practice today! #UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/es2LzqdOtq
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The future will tell. Or not. The opportunities created by the crisis do not necessarily survive, even if the meeting is intended to be recurrent. "It will clearly be the number of subscribers (Editor's note: via the utslive.tv platform) that will say if it is a success," continues Mouratoglou. I know that 11.99 euros (Editor's note: monthly subscription price) is not neutral but it is a real ecosystem, people will enter a new world with a lot of content around the matches. We have no sponsor, no ticketing, no hot dog or coke sale, no TV rights. The only return is the subscription. "
The sustainability of the project can leave skeptical in an already busy agenda. "I don't know what the calendar will look like," said coach Serena Williams. But it is likely that tennis will not be the same after the Covid… ”
The UTS program
Five games will take place this Saturday, as many this Sunday (retransmitted via subscription on utslive.tv). Each player will meet the other nine in a championship spread over five weekends. The first two will qualify directly for the semi-finals, the next four will go through quarters.
This Saturday :
4 p.m .: APULIA (n ° 58) - BENCHETRIT * (n ° 208)
5.15 p.m .: Brown (All / n ° 239) - PAIR (n ° 22)
6.30 p.m .: Berrettini (Ita / n ° 8) - Goffin (Bel / n ° 10)
9 p.m .: Lopez (Esp / n ° 56) - Popyrin (Aus / n ° 103)
10:15 p.m .: Tsitsipas (Gre / n ° 6) - GASQUET (n ° 50)
* The French replaces the Austrian Thiem (n ° 3) for the first weekend.