After UTS Day 2: Tsitsipas and Berrettini start strong as well as surprising Popyrin
Here are highlights, upsets, quotes, results, standings and schedule after Ultimate Tennis Showdown Day 2. World No 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas and World No 8 Matteo Berrettini assumed their ATP rankings. Rising star Alexei Popyrin also went two for two during the first weekend.
Matteo Berrettini at the Mouratoglou Academy
The leader after UTS Week 1
Matteo Berrettini, Alexei Popyrin and Stefanos Tsitsipas are leading the UTS ranking after Day 2 as they each won their two opening games. The Hammer is ranked first having won the most sets and having a better point ratio than the Sniper, ranked 2nd. The Greek God holds the third spot.
Look who we have at No. 2… 👀
Only three men keep their #UTShowdown records perfect through Day 2 – Matteo Berrettini, @AlexeiPopyrin99 and @StefTsitsipas!
Who will remain undefeated the longest? pic.twitter.com/4JWG5d7h6R
— UTS | Ultimate Tennis Showdown (@UTShowdown) June 15, 2020
The UTS Day 2 Thriller
Stefanos Tsitsipas v Richard Gasquet
The final match of a drama-packed second day of Ultimate Tennis Showdown produced an absolute thriller, as The Greek God Stefanos Tsitsipas edged out The Virtuoso Richard Gasquet after sudden-death. For the first time, the sudden-death went on and proved so entertaining. It was a very tactical match from the outset. Both players played high-quality tennis and as expected we saw some outrageously good backhands.
The UTS Day 2 outsider
On his second and last UTS match, Dominic Thiem’s alternate Elliot Benchetrit proved he was a worthy underdog. He defeated fellow countryman Lucas Pouille in sudden death after a solid performance.
Play the rules
On Day 2, “Winners count 3” UTS card paid handsome dividends five times, as players scored 6 points in 2 delivering two winners in a row. It helped them all to win the quarter.
- At 4-4 in the first quarter, Dustin Brown hit an ace and an exquisite retro volley to move up to 10-4, which definitely helped him to secure the quarter against Benoit Paire.
- Matteo Berrettini smashed an ace and a drop shot winner at 14-8 in the second quarter to build up his lead to 20-14 over David Goffin and prevail.
- At 8-8 in the third quarter, Matteo Berrettini came up with a brilliant passing shot and an ace, to lead 14-8 and win the quarter 18-9.
- Feliciano Lopez fired two aces to lead 14-10 from 8-10 down to Alexei Popyrin in the second quarter. He then went on winning it.
The Artist sure knows how to play his cards 🃏@DreddyTennis scores 6 points in 2 with the x3 winner card, thanks to a powerful ace followed by this beauty 👇#UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/XvBeGllh5Z
— UTS | Ultimate Tennis Showdown (@UTShowdown) June 15, 2020
The quote
“Do you have something to drink for me to celebrate it?”, told Benoit Paire to the commentators after he finally scored his first “x3” winner.
You better share, @benoitpaire 🍾
The Rebel finally scores his first three-pointer to run away with the 3rd quarter. #UTShowdown pic.twitter.com/fnFT9LbKBd
— UTS | Ultimate Tennis Showdown (@UTShowdown) June 15, 2020
The results
- Benchetrit beat Pouille 16-11, 11-14, 12-14, 15-10, 3-1
- Paire beat Brown 19-19, 17-14, 18-15, 21-12
- Berrettini beat Goffin 13-12, 20-8, 18-9, 11-12
- Popyrin beat Lopez 13-11, 14-17, 14-13, 15-12
- Tsitsipas beat Gasquet 15-11, 13-14, 15-11, 13-15, 5-3
The rankings
Look who we have at No. 2… 👀
Only three men keep their #UTShowdown records perfect through Day 2 – Matteo Berrettini, @AlexeiPopyrin99 and @StefTsitsipas!
Who will remain undefeated the longest? pic.twitter.com/4JWG5d7h6R
— UTS | Ultimate Tennis Showdown (@UTShowdown) June 15, 2020
Weekend 2 schedule
DAY 3 – June, 21
DAY SESSION
- 4 pm CET: Corentin Moutet “The Tornado vs Benoit Paire “The Rebel”
- 5.15 pm CET:Alexei Popyrin “The Sniper” vs David Goffin “The Wall”
- 6.30 pm CET: Dustin Brown “The Artist” vs Stefanos Tsitsipas “The Greek God”
NIGHT SESSION
- 9 pm CET: Feliciano Lopez “The Torero” vs Matteo Berrettini “The Hammer”
- 10.15 pm CET: Dominic Thiem “Domi” vs Richard Gasquet “The Virtuoso”
DAY 4 – June, 20
DAY SESSION
- 4 pm CET: Dustin Brown “The Artist” vs Richard Gasquet “The Virtuoso”
- 5.15 pm CET: Feliciano Lopez “The Torero” vs David Goffin “The Wall”
- 6.30 pm CET: Alexei Popyrin “The Sniper” vs Lucas Pouille “The French flair”
NIGHT SESSION
- 9 pm CET: Dominic Thiem “Domi” vs Stefanos Tsitsipas “The Greek God”
- 10.15 pm CET: Benoit Paire “The Rebel” vs Matteo Berrettini “The Hammer”
