Players ready for “intense” UTS London Grand Final showdown
Four champions headline the strongest-ever field as the 2025 UTS Grand Final gets underway in London on Friday
Victorian Plumbing UTS Grand Final 2025 roster | © Tennis Majors
Casper Ruud, Tomas Machac and Francisco Cerundolo all lifted trophies earlier this year, while defending champion Alex de Minaur returns to the scene of his 2024 triumph. Throw in two-time winner Andrey Rublev and you have a field in London where nobody can afford a slow start.
Eight players will compete at the Victorian Plumbing UTS London Grand Final across two round-robin groups from Friday to Saturday, with the top two from each advancing to Sunday’s semi-finals and final. Up to $922,000 awaits an unbeaten champion from a total prize pot of $1.87 million.
The players have been talking — and they’re expecting fireworks.
Cerundolo’s perfect record on the line
Cerundolo has never lost a UTS match. The Argentine claimed the Chubb UTS Hong Kong with Humansa title in November and believes he’s better prepared this time around.
“I think now I’m more prepared than the other tournament because I know the rules, I know how to manage myself,” he said.
His opening clash against Ruud on Friday night promises to be a baseline war – the pair have met nine times on Tour but never at UTS.
“It’s going to be a grind for sure. We both like to play with forehands, to play long rallies, to try to be aggressive,” Cerundolo said. “I think it’s going to be a fun match to watch.”
He has also learned the hard way about clock management: “At the beginning when I was losing, I was trying to play fast, but then I was playing without thinking and nonsense. So it wasn’t good enough.”
Ruud: From sceptic to convert
Ruud won in Nimes earlier this year and arrives in London off the back of a title in Stockholm late in the 2025 ATP season. But the Norwegian admits he wasn’t always sold on the UTS format.
“The first time I saw it during COVID, I thought it was complete chaos,” he said. “But when I tried to play it myself, it was really fun. It’s so intense.”
As Ruud explains, the intensity comes from the clock. With just five seconds between points and eight-minute quarters, there’s no time to reset mentally.
“If your opponent’s serving, he can serve only after five seconds and you have to be there already,” Ruud explained. “I’ve had a few points where I’ve tried to stress my opponent, but I got too stressed myself, so I missed the serve. It’s quite tough.”
He’s also keen to settle a score with David Goffin, who beat him in a sudden death set in the Guadalajara semi-finals: “I will try to seek my revenge here.” The pair meet early on Saturday afternoon, in the second match of the day.
Mannarino embracing underdog role
Adrian Mannarino finds himself in a Group A loaded with big hitters, but the 36-year-old is embracing his outsider status.
“I’m going to be the outsider in every match so I’ll just try to make the best of it,” he said. “You don’t have much to lose but you’re not supposed to win. It’s good because you get on the court with no pressure.”
The Frenchman has become a student of the format, and believes it rewards honest tennis.
“At UTS if you’re not playing well, every rally you have to earn it. You can’t fake your level because you can’t win points with your serve,” he said.
“If you just lose your concentration for a little bit, the points are going so fast you can easily lose five, six points in a row and then the quarter is almost over.”
Humbert steps in fit and ready
Ugo Humbert replaced the injured Jack Draper earlier this week and arrives fully fit after a back issue that has lingered in recent months.
“I feel 100%,” he said. “I’m ready to compete.”
The Frenchman knows bonus cards can swing a match in an instant, and he’ll be targeting these as he looks to get out of Group B.
“Two or three points are really important. If I play well, these points are going to be on my side, but sometimes it’s not going to be on my side every time.”
Group stage action begins on Friday at 6pm, with semi-finals and final on Sunday from 2:30pm. The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis in the UK and Ireland — a first for the broadcaster.
