HK scores an ace with Ultimate Tennis Showdown
Michael Cheng, third left, says the UTS format is a perfect match for Hong Kong. Photo: RTHK
Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) will make its Asian debut in Hong Kong.
The international individual tennis league tournament will be held at Kai Tak Sports Park on October 14 and 15.
Chief operating officer Baptiste Kern said fans had been asking for the tournament to expand to Asia and that Hong Kong has great venues like the new Kai Tak Sports Stadium.
"What we are trying to create with UTS is a form of NBA of tennis, where it's very serious tennis, very high-quality matches [and] very high intensity and at the same time a very fun and fan-friendly atmosphere," he said.
UTS has a slightly different format than most typical tennis matches, with timed matches and players playing quarters rather than sets.
"Basically you have 45 minutes of packed tennis as opposed to longer matches with long breaks," Kern said, adding that fans are encouraged to cheer and players can talk to coaches and fans during changeover.
Eight players, including Chinese tennis star Zhang Zhizhen, will be competing for the Zeus trophy and an estimated price money of more than US$300,000.
Hong Kong, China Tennis Association president Michael Cheng says the UTS format is a perfect match for Hong Kong with its corporate, entertainment, cultural and fashion fusion.
"I think there's a lot of significance in bringing something which is novel to Hong Kong and creating, building and shaping Hong Kong as a tennis hub, a mega-event capital in the region and in Greater Bay."
Cheng says he expects the event to sell out quickly in Hong Kong, emphasising the need to build tennis novelty and brand for Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
"It also sends a very clear signal that every financial hub around the world there are tennis events, and so does Hong Kong, and we are able to provide very good events."
Ticket prices will range from almost HK$400 to almost HK$1,600, with public sales starting on August 4 via HK Ticketing.
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