What a racket! But will new spin on tennis pull in fans?

The ExCel conference centre in east London sits an hour from the plush green lawns and storied tradition of Wimbledon, but in tennis terms it may as well lie a million miles away on this pre-Christmas Saturday afternoon.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

“Everybody get on their feet and make some nooooiiise,” yells the ageing DJ in bucket hat and denim jacket as he pumps his fist and turns to the crowd, music blaring and lights flashing. “The only thing you will never, ever hear today is ‘please be quiet’. We want to hear you!” And so, as pounding dance anthems fill the room, the show begins: this is UTS and, according to its tagline, it’s “tennis like never before”.

Some of the best players in the world have gathered in London for the UTS (Ultimate Tennis Showdown) Grand Final, and not all of them are familiar with the rules. Jack Draper, a big-serving, confident 21-year-old Brit who is playing UTS for the first time, was not aware of some of the intricacies of the format until he arrived at the venue. And, if you’re only used to watching tennis every July when Wimbledon rolls around, there is a lot to catch up on. According to the event organisers, this is tennis “reimagined” – the match play “fast, furious, immersive and interactive”.