Alex “The Demon” De Minaur cemented his status as the undisputed master of the fast-paced Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) format on Sunday, defeating Casper “The Iceman” Ruud 3-1 in a thrilling final at the Copper Box Arena in London.
With the victory, the World No. 7 makes history as the first player ever to claim three UTS titles and secures a massive payday, walking away with nearly $1 million.
De Minaur Fights Back for Historic Triumph
The ultimate clash pitted the Australian Alex “Demon” de Minaur against Norway’s Casper “The Iceman” Ruud, who had just defeated the previously undefeated Andrey “Rublo” Rublev in a tense semi-final tiebreak.
The final started with Ruud gaining the initial momentum, capitalizing on De Minaur’s slow start to take the first 8-minute quarter, 15-11. However, this only seemed to ignite the fire in the World No. 7.
Known for his relentless speed and flat, penetrating groundstrokes—a style perfectly suited to the fast-paced, one-serve-only UTS format—De Minaur took complete control in the remaining quarters.
| Quarter | Winner | Score | Turning Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Ruud | 15-11 | Ruud’s strong start and aggressive baseline play. |
| Q2 | De Minaur | 15-10 | De Minaur’s defense kicks in, forcing Ruud errors. |
| Q3 | De Minaur | 15-11 | De Minaur maintains the pressure to take the 2-1 lead. |
| Q4 | De Minaur | 16-7 | The Demon dominates, cruising to a decisive victory. |
The final score was a commanding 3-1 in favor of De Minaur (11-15, 15-10, 15-11, 16-7).
A Record and a Windfall
De Minaur’s victory is the most significant in the five-year history of the UTS, as he is now the first player to lift the distinct lightning bolt trophy three times, adding the 2025 London Grand Final title to his previous wins in Antwerp (2020) and London (2024).
The financial reward for his mastery of the format was equally staggering. De Minaur collected an estimated $640,000 USD ($964,000 AUD), which included the winner’s cheque of $390,000 and a $250,000 bonus for his participation in an earlier 2025 UTS event.
“It’s amazing to win here again,” said a triumphant De Minaur. “London is a special place for me, and it’s my home now, so it’s always great to play at this event and even better to win again.”
The Champion’s Edge
Ruud’s Dramatic Run and The Demon’s Perfect Format
The final appearance by Casper Ruud was hard-earned. The Norwegian, known as “The Iceman,” reached the championship match after a thrilling semi-final against former UTS champion Andrey “Rublo” Rublev. In a dramatic back-and-forth battle, Ruud forced the match into a tie at two quarters apiece, requiring the sudden-death decider.
In Sudden Death, the first player to win two consecutive points takes the victory, and Ruud held his nerve to deliver the final knockout blow, securing his spot against De Minaur.
However, The Demon and his weak serve is arguably the most suited to the rapid-fire, high-pressure UTS environment. The format features 8-minute quarters, a 15-second shot clock, and most crucially, only one serve per point.
UTS Founder Patrick Mouratoglou acknowledged this perfectly: “We can say that Alex de Minaur is the best player ever in this format, for now. His achievements show it. He’s always super competitive.”
De Minaur himself thrives in the noisy, rock-and-roll atmosphere:
“I’ve played a few of the UTS events now and I’ve enjoyed it. Having only one serve is an interesting mindset change and I enjoy trying to adapt to it. I find the noise and chaos of UTS a little easier to deal with when I know it’s coming.”
A Prize for the Home Crowd
The victory was especially sweet for De Minaur, who is based in London with his fiancée, British tennis star Katie Boulter. When joking about the distinctive lightning bolt trophy at the presentation ceremony, De Minaur remarked, “It makes for a great decoration at the house. I’m not too sure how Katie’s going to feel about it, but hey!”
Boulter later offered a playful take on his achievement, commenting on his Instagram post announcing the win: “But you had more fun putting the Christmas tree up tho right.”
De Minaur’s successful title defense closes out his highly successful 2025 season on a significant high note, confirming his dominance in the alternative tennis landscape and setting a high bar for the start of the next ATP Tour season.
Phil Naessens is a tennis betting analyst and former tennis coach with decades of experience in player development and match analysis. He is the founder of Crush Rush News and host of the Crush & Rush Tennis Podcast, focusing on price-first betting strategy, market efficiency, and transparency in sports wagering.