The United Cup has tweaked its processes and rules in each of the three years of the mixed-gender competition.
For the 2025 edition – commencing on 27 December 2024 – a timeout has been introduced in tennis as a world first.
Borrowing the idea from sports such as basketball and volleyball, the new timeouts will occur only the mixed doubles rubbers. Always played as the third match in a tie, the mixed doubles at the United Cup is often crucial in determining the winning team.
Players at the United Cup have always visited their Team Zone (the corner on the court where rows of seats house the captain and teammates) to get feedback at changes of ends, or when there’s an unexpected delay in play.
And since doubles teams habitually discuss tactics for their next point, what will the new timeout offer?
Well, either a player or the team captain will push a large red buzzer located in the Team Zone pod to start the 60-second timeout. After that tactical discussion, play must recommence within 25 seconds as monitored by a shot clock.
An important proviso is that a timeout can only be initiated when a team is serving, and not between first and second serves.
Each mixed doubles team will be confined to one timeout per match.
Implementing a timeout is an interesting development in tennis since the ATP, WTA and ITF have all taken measures to shorten matches generally. Mixed doubles has especially been shortened by removing the need to win consecutive points after a deuce and relying instead on one deciding point. The common use of a ten point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set has greatly contributed to shorter mixed matches.
The organisers of the United Cup have seemingly concluded that a possible two and a half extra minutes in a match are worth it for the novelty value of a timeout.
Tournament Director Stephen Farrow said, “Innovation is at the core of everything we do at the United Cup and this is another example of leading the way and finding new ways to present the sport and engage our fans.”
“We’re excited to see how the best tennis players in the world and their teams utilise this new tool.”
The United Cup will again be held at RAC Arena in Perth and Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.
Update
On the third day of the event, at match point to Team Canada, their opponents Team Croatia mistakenly pushed the red button for a timeout when they were receiving. They were informed by umpire Mohamed Lahyani, “It’s not your serve. Ready to play”.
Otherwise the timeout was not used.