The statistics that show UTS is faster paced than traditional tennis

When Patrick Mouratoglou invented UTS, it was with the intention of creating a version of traditional tennis that would be more engaging for younger fans. Part of this was about speeding up the pace of the game, giving less down time between points where viewers could potentially lose interest.

Now that 10 UTS events have been completed, the verdict is back: UTS unequivocally speeds up tennis, giving fans more action in less time.

Here are the numbers that prove it.

Almost twice as many points per minute in UTS matches, compared to ATP Tour

Across the 10 UTS events, an average of 106 points were played per match.

These games lasted an average of 47 minutes, with the shortest being 33 minutes, and the longest 58 minutes. This means that on average, 2.25 points were played per minute in UTS matches this year.

Comparing this to the ATP Tour, average match length was 110 minutes, with 145 points played on average in best-of-three set matches. This means that 1.3 points are played per minute in ATP Tour matches—far lower than the 2.25 points per minute played in UTS.

What leads to this increase in action?

The UTS format has taken a range of measures to speed up the game:

Part of this increase in speed is due to the removal of second serves in UTS. Another factor is the introduction of a 15 second shot clock between points. Also, with changes of end only every eight minutes, this down time is minimised too.

It’s no wonder that the biggest takeaway most new competitors have on the UTS Tour is how hard the format is to keep up with, and how surprised they are at the physical toll it takes.

Summing up the main statistical differences

Put more simply, here is a direct comparison:

• A traditional, three-set tennis match takes an hour and 50 minutes on average to complete. It contains an average of 145 points, meaning 79 points are played per hour across a normal tennis match.

• A UTS match, on the other hand, lasts for just 47 minutes on average. During this time, an average of 106 points are completed. This means that UTS matches typically have 135 points per hour – a whopping 70 percent more than traditional tennis matches!