Tennis Australia has upgraded the courts at Melbourne Park and the preceding Australian Open Series tournaments, but not all players are impressed by the new surface.
For over twenty years the Australian Open used Rebound Ace, however players complained the courts were too sticky and claimed it increased injuries, especially to the feet.
This season the courts have been changed to a Plexicushion surface, which combines the consistent bounce, sure footing, and outstanding durability of Plexipave with the innovative shock-absorbing properties of EPDM Rubber cushioning.
Speaking with reporters at this week’s Hopman Cup, world No. 3 Jelena Jankovic said she had been under the impression that the speed of the courts was going to be increased.
“I thought it was going to be faster but it seems to be a lot slower,” said Jankovic from Perth.
“It seems quite (a lot) slower than the Rebound Ace that I played on last year in Sydney and Melbourne. The balls get really fluffy. Here it’s indoors, so maybe it’s a bit of a different story. I don’t know how it will play outside.”
Defending Australian Open champion Serena Williams did confirm that the courts are slow, but for her it is not necessarily a bad quality.
“I think it might be slow, which is good because I wasn’t really moving,” said Williams. “That always helps me out. I like it.”
When questioned by the press in Perth, hometown favorite Alicia Molik gave an extensive comparison of the differences between the old and new surface.
“I guess the ball bounces a little more evenly when the conditions differ,” said Molik.
“I think that’s probably the main difference between Plexicushion and say, Rebound Ace. I think you get a more differing bounce in hot conditions as oppose to cold conditions on the Rebound Ace. And you know, occasionally you’d experience some dead patches, but I think, on the whole the Plexicushion is a more even surface. But the ball is getting up pretty high here.”
A native of Australia, Molik played on Rebound Ace since she was a child.
“I’ve grown up on hard courts and Rebound Ace my whole life so; it’s much of a muchness for myself,” added the former top 10 star. “I’ve grown up in Adelaide and played on those courts from a very young age. So, put me on anything and I’ll be happy to be honest.”
Unlike the players cited previously, 2007 Roland Garros finalist Ana Ivanovic opted to fly to Asia for the 2008 JB Group Classic exhibition tournament. However, before traveling to Hong Kong, Ivanovic had an opportunity to practice on the new surface.
“I find it quite slow,” Ivanovic said. “But it’s very good for the body. It’s quite soft.”
After hearing so many players talk about the slowness of the courts, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley set the record straight by saying that the courts were not intended be faster.
“I think some of them felt the courts were going to be a lot faster and that’s the perception because they hear around the world that we’re changing the courts and we’re going to make them faster,” Tiley said according to The Australian.
“But we’ve never said that. We’ve said they’re going to be consistent and the same across the venue.”
Tiley cites Plexicushion’s greatest benefit the way the courts will respond to heat during the Australian summer.
“But the courts generally you’re going to find are not going to be quicker. The underfeel is going to be better, the bounce is going to be better and the biggest thing is they’re not going to respond to the heat.”
