What to know about the rules employed by the Frankfurt 2024 edition of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown

The Ultimate Tennis Showdown is a new, exciting exhibition tennis event that features some of the best tennis players in the world, and the latest edition will take place in Frankfurt, Germany from October 18-20, 2024.

The fast-paced event has won over many critics, often featuring fan-favorites competing in it's unique style of tennis. Although traditional rules do not apply at this event, the scoring system is simplistic and adds to the entertaining atmosphere.

Former US Open semifinalist Ben Shelton is the highest-ranked player to compete at this edition. Joining him are Italian Lorenzo Musetti, Denis Shapovalov and Dominic Thiem. Frenchman Gael Monfils, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Ugo Humbert and Jan-Lennard Struff complete the eight-man lineup.

The tournament features a very unique, modern format. Each match is divided into four quarters of eight minutes each, and a fifth quarter of "sudden death" will be played if necessary. Players will try to score as many points as possible to win a quarter, and the first player to win three quarters is declared the victor.

There are bonus cards used during matches, with each match bestowing a specific advantage on a player or a disadvantage on his opponent. Each player can use only one card per quarter. Furthermore, on-court coaching is allowed, but never during point play.

The UTS event features an eight-man field, divided into two groups. The player with the most wins tops the group, with the number of matches played being used as a tie-breaker. The two top players from each group will advance to the semifinals, with each victor moving on to the final.