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Pro sports returned to the US with a tennis tournament played in the backyard of a house in rural Florida

Cork Gaines   

Pro sports returned to the US with a tennis tournament played in the backyard of a house in rural Florida
  • Pro sports have returned to the United States with the inaugural UTR Pro Match Series presented by Tennis Channel.
  • The tournament featured four ATP players and was played on a private tennis court in the backyard of somebody's house in rural Florida.
  • The tournament featured several changes and was put on by the Tennis Channel to show that the sport could be played safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Professional sports have returned to the United States for the first time in nearly two months as four men's tennis players competed in the inaugural UTR Pro Match Series presented by Tennis Channel.

Two tournaments are scheduled, one for the men and another for the women in the coming weeks. The series is designed "to showcase how tennis can be played locally—and most importantly, safely—as the world looks to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic," according to the Tennis Channel.

"Locally," is the key word in that statement, as the tournament was literally held on a private court in somebody's backyard in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Here is an aerial view of the 5.5-acre property. The Backyard was also used for tents and a parking lot.

Officials did not reveal the location of the tournament before it started, presumably to keep fans away.

The tennis channel identified these people as the owners of the property, along with their good doggo.

There was even a cow that caught the attention of the broadcasters. This was indeed rural Florida.

The four players competing in the tournament, Hubert Hurkacz, Miomir Kecmanovic, Reilly Opelka and Tommy Paul, are all ranked among the top 60 players on the ATP Tour.

Each had their temperatures taken as they arrived for their matches. Here is Kecmanovic being inspected as he arrived.

The tournament was played with the "Fast Four Format," with best-of-3 matches and sets won by the first player to win four games.

The four players played six round-robin matches, followed by consolation and championship matches on Saturday afternoon.

The only other person on the court was the umpire. There were no ball kids or line judges. Spare balls just sat on the court.

According to the Tennis Channel, the court was disinfected before and after every match. Players were also responsible for bringing their own drinks and towels.

The only cameras to cover the action were placed at both ends of the court and were controlled remotely.

Outside of the court, each player had their own tent.

Hurkacz appeared to be in mid-season form, pulling off maybe one of the shots of the year with this tweener winner.

After the match, the players did not shake hands. Instead, they bumped racquets.

Hurkacz even waved to an imaginary crowd after one of his matches.

Four WTA players, Amanda Anisimova, Danielle Collins, Alison Riske and Ajla Tomljanovic, will play an identical tournament two weeks later.

It is not how we remember, but sports are back.

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