Tennis’ much-needed youth movement and the birth of the modern game
Patrick Mouratoglou’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown is the wackiest and most polarizing tennis event in decades. Here’s why tennis is in need of a youth movement and how Mouratoglou is at the forefront of tennis’ future.
“The average age of tennis fans is 61, and it keeps getting older and older.”
These were Patrick Mouratoglou’s words to describe the game of tennis. While the exact age is up for debate, his message is clear: tennis is a game for older people and is due for a youth movement. Enter in his new Ultimate Tennis Showdown and a radical new way to approach tennis is set to arrive.
Mouratoglou’s vision is more than just a simple exhibition tournament. Per Tennis Channel, he wants to open tennis up to more fans and give them a gateway to experience not just the top players, but the slew of incredibly talented athletes competing on tour that the casual fan may not know.
"“[The Ultimate Tennis Showdown] will allow for fans to rediscover the players for who they really are and what they stand for.”"
How might he go about this? It is, of course, easier said than done, but modernizing professional tennis is long overdue. For decades, while the sport has around 1 billion fans, it doesn’t receive attention like other global sports, such as soccer and basketball. The main reason for this is because both of those sports constantly see an influx of youth players and fans each year, whereas tennis is rooted in the middle age.
Where tennis falls behind the most is in the casual fan. Casual tennis supporters know only the top few players. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams are usually the four names that come up. They tune in four times per year at each of the Grand Slams and possibly during the Laver Cup or ATP Finals if it strikes their mood. The problem with this is that there isn’t any recognition for the game’s upcoming stars or the respected veterans.
Everyone knows Federer and Nadal, but only the true fan could tell you about Dominic Thiem and his potential to be one of the greatest clay-court players of all-time (he might already be). The casual fan knows about Serena Williams and her decades of dominance alongside her sister, but only the true fan could tell you the overwhelming potential of Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty.
This is where Mouratoglou’s vision will shine. The UTS is the gateway for sports-starved fans to open their eyes to the game of tennis. It’ll bring in a massive amount of new fans who are excited for not only the game’s top players but the large mass of incredible players on the ATP and WTA tours.
What, exactly, is Mouratoglou going to do? This is a very good question to have. Changing the demographic of tennis is a very difficult thing to do. However, there are some great ways that are set to spring into action with the Ultimate Tennis Showdown.
The rules are vastly different, as explained here with our breakdown yesterday. Much like in basketball, the matches are split into four quarters of ten minutes each, ended by a two-minute changeover. The player with the most points wins the quarter and whoever wins 3 quarters is the winner of the match. If the players both win two quarters each, sudden death occurs, with the first player to win two consecutive points is declared the winner of the match (the players serve in tiebreak format).
The next change that Mouratoglou is changing for tennis is assigning each competing player with a nickname. Much like in wrestling, each competitor has s nickname that they go by, adding hype to each matchup.
Matteo Berrettini is “The Hammer”. David Goffin is “The Wall”. Dustin Brown is, for good reason, named “The Artist”, and Stefanos Tsitsipas is, you guessed it, “The Greek God”. Richard Gasquet is “The Virtuoso” for his virtuosic one-handed backhand and fluid movements. Finally, Benoit Paire is, for his ever-changing hairstyle and loudmouth banter, “The Rebel”.
The hardcore tennis fan might sneer at this gag addition to the UTShowdown, however, the casual fan will jump at this. The intrigue of hearing a match played between “The Virtuoso” and “The Greek God” would surely be enough to draw a large crowd to the seats.
It’s a genius little idea to add hype for casual fans who might be used to that sort of idea. It’s apparent not only in wrestling but also in basketball and soccer (two of the most popular sports in the world). It’s a way to evolve tennis and truly bring the fan experience center stage, something Mouratoglou and many players have expressed the need for.
Another silly, yet quite entertaining, idea for the UTS is the introduction of “UTS cards”. Players and coaches have the ability to use these cards throughout the match in order to gain an edge.
- Gives the player an extra serve
- Removes an opponent’s serve.
- Awards three points for a winner
- Awards two points if a player successfully wins a point at the net.
- Forces your opponent to serve and volley.
- Forces your opponent to win the point in three shots or less.
The umpire will keep a record of when and which cards are used throughout the match.
"“A lot of people are going to be against it, but that’s OK,” Mouratoglou says. “If you really love tennis, you want it to survive, to live, to develop. Loving tennis, in my opinion, is embracing change so that our sport doesn’t fall behind the other sports.”"
dark. Next. Mouratoglou's Ultimate Tennis Showdown and how it will bring in a new age of tennis
Mouratoglou’s youth movement is well on its way and it could possibly be the key to open the door to the future of tennis. Whether or not that’s true, the mystery will soon be answered.