Alex de Minaur's journey in the UTS Grand Final in London was nothing short of extraordinary. After clinching the title, he now has an extra special Christmas gift in mind for his girlfriend Katie Boulter. The rebranded event, dreamed up by coaching guru Patrick Mouratoglou, witnessed an astonishing 21,500 fans filling London's Copper Box Arena, creating an intoxicating atmosphere.

De Minaur's Dominant Win and Career Windfall

In the final against Holger Rune, de Minaur showcased his mastery of a unique game format. Players are given just one serve and use bonus cards to boost their score. The noisy backdrop around the court is a stark contrast to regular tour events. This format proved lucrative for de Minaur, as he won a whopping £625,241 for his three days of work. This surpasses the £375,000 he won for reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals in July, marking his biggest career prize money haul for a single event." It was a perfect weekend in London," declared de Minaur. "Couldn't have asked for anything better. I played some great tennis. Every match was tough and physical, and I came out on top. So extremely happy with the performance. Just worked hard. I'm in the middle of my preseason. So, you know, it felt like I was feeling quite good physically with those extended rallies. Maybe that was something that was able to help me in the end against my opponent." Obviously, London's almost like a second home to him. He has enjoyed it so much throughout the years."The crowd was great. It was a packed crowd. It was electric. It was loud singing. There was a bit of everything. So as a player, that's all you can ever ask for and it felt great competing in this atmosphere."

UTS Format and Player Experience

UTS is proving to be a hit among players. Holger Rune, the defeated finalist, is a big fan of the format. Given the nickname 'The Viking' when playing in a UTS event, he said, "I think the court really works for me. I enjoy playing this format. I've made two finals and only really played two times. I mean, I played in Norway also, but I had to pull out with an injury. So I think the formula is good for me because I feel like we get to play a lot from this baseline, which I also like, but I also like to finish the point a little bit. I think this makes it super entertaining for the crowd and for tennis fans as well, so you know, and for us players, it's cool to play because there's so many fun elements to play around."

Christmas with Katie Boulter

De Minaur also revealed his Christmas plans. "I will be back in Australia by Christmas Day," he added. "Before that, I will be having an early Christmas in London with my family and Katie's family. Katie is a great cook, so I'm looking forward to eating a lot of food."

Future of UTS Tour

2025 holds great promise for the growing UTS Tour. Events are scheduled in Guadalajara, Mexico (14-16 February) and Nimes, France (4-5 April), and more events are likely to be added in locations around the world, including a potential return to London for the Grand Final. This indicates the increasing popularity and potential of the UTS format.