Blue Clay

[Kieran]

Also plenty of things are gimmicky. Wimbledon's nineteenth century sensibilities are a gimmick. It's dumb that people have to wear white, but the idea of tradition makes people love it, when everyone knows dress codes are silly. Every tournament tries to sell itself. Madrid is a tournament (like the USO or Indian Wells) that sells itself as BIG, larger than life. Monte Carlo, Queens, Wimbledon, all try to sell themselves as understated and aristocratic. Miami it's latin, it has the latin crowd.. Roland Garros, the vocal parisian fans. Aesthetics are selling points and it's what sets tournaments apart. Without blue clay all Madrid is a mandatory events with crappy clay that most people don't want to play, but have to.

The "aesthetics" of Madrid were gimmicks, though. Wimbledon whites are tradition, therefore, they're not gimmicks. Plus, hands up who doesn't love to see all-white gear on a tennis court? Some of the clothes they're wearing now, you'd be chased off a beach for wearing tat like that...

 

[Denis]

Also plenty of things are gimmicky. Wimbledon's nineteenth century sensibilities are a gimmick. It's dumb that people have to wear white, but the idea of tradition makes people love it, when everyone knows dress codes are silly. Every tournament tries to sell itself. Madrid is a tournament (like the USO or Indian Wells) that sells itself as BIG, larger than life. Monte Carlo, Queens, Wimbledon, all try to sell themselves as understated and aristocratic. Miami it's latin, it has the latin crowd.. Roland Garros, the vocal parisian fans. Aesthetics are selling points and it's what sets tournaments apart. Without blue clay all Madrid is a mandatory events with crappy clay that most people don't want to play, but have to.

The "aesthetics" of Madrid were gimmicks, though. Wimbledon whites are tradition, therefore, they're not gimmicks. Plus, hands up who doesn't love to see all-white gear on a tennis court? Some of the clothes they're wearing now, you'd be chased off a beach for wearing tat like that...

Well a "tradition" takes time. I'm sure there was a 19th century version of Kieran complaining about the heresy of a new game called tennis.

Blue is nice, but I would prefer if the blue stays in Madrid. It was their idea, and it's nice for a change, but Rome, MC and def Roland Garros should be played on red clay IMO.

 

[mrzz]

The "aesthetics" of Madrid were gimmicks, though. Wimbledon whites are tradition, therefore, they're not gimmicks. Plus, hands up who doesn't love to see all-white gear on a tennis court? Some of the clothes they're wearing now, you'd be chased off a beach for wearing tat like that...

hmmm.... this is only true if they chose blue 'out of the blue'. Even in this case, you can think aesthetically just for the sake of aesthetics. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing even heretic about that.

Anyway I see your point, but remember that they chose blue for contrast reasons, in order to allow for better viewing (and this I would not call gimmicks). So, in this case, the aesthetical factor comes as a by product, just perfect for a... nice utilitarian like my noble interlocutor.

 

[Moxie]

If they can figure out how to make all things equal, but in two different colors, then I'm for it. I thought it was much easier to see the ball on the blue clay.

GSM makes a great point about the problematic engineering of the Madrid courts, but that has always been the case with their low-quality clay courts, regardless of color.

But if, say, Rome or Barcelona could develop blue clay courts which play the same as red clay, go for it.

I agree with what seems to be the consensus here, which is that blue helps the viewer see the ball, and looks really nice on TV. If those are the only issues, then I agree with tented...go for it. I'm not sure what Madrid has done to solve the other issues they have had as to their courts, but one thing seems not to have been mentioned that makes Madrid "problematic," or at least, anomalous, as a MS1000 tournament...it's at by far the highest altitude, and there is nothing that will change that.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

what is this about not seeing the ball properly on red clay ?..what, are folks still watching on an old telly from the 1990s ?..those cathode ray tube tellys where the back of the tv set is about 3 miles away from the front ?.

time to ditch all those 20th century relics and get a full hdtv..or even a uhdtv (4k) tv now that the specs are settling down, as is the price. or sit closer to your laptop with the brightness up a bit.

 

[Fiero425]

what is this about not seeing the ball properly on red clay ?..what, are folks still watching on an old telly from the 1990s ?..those cathode ray tube tellys where the back of the tv set is about 3 miles away from the front ?.

time to ditch all those 20th century relics and get a full hdtv..or even a uhdtv (4k) tv now that the specs are settling down, as is the price. or sit closer to your laptop with the brightness up a bit.

How'd you know? The graphics on programs are getting smaller and smaller since they figured everyone has a big screen with a digital signal! Analog all the way on a cathode ray monster box! :cover :nono

 

[Moxie]

what is this about not seeing the ball properly on red clay ?..what, are folks still watching on an old telly from the 1990s ?..those cathode ray tube tellys where the back of the tv set is about 3 miles away from the front ?.

time to ditch all those 20th century relics and get a full hdtv..or even a uhdtv (4k) tv now that the specs are settling down, as is the price. or sit closer to your laptop with the brightness up a bit.

How'd you know? The graphics on programs are getting smaller and smaller since they figured everyone has a big screen with a digital signal! Analog all the way on a cathode ray monster box! :cover :nono

Fiero, that is one of my complaints, exactly! The graphics are so small because they think we all have such a big screen. :devil:nono Anyway, the HD helps to see the ball, but don't make me refer folks to the color wheel to see why the yellow ball is easier to see on blue clay than orange/red clay. :hug

 

[Kirijax]

The blue courts is one of the reasons the Australian Open is my favorite Grand Slam. Head and shoulders ahead of the other three in that department I think.

Come on Madrid! Find some balls and go with what you set out to do! Everyone complains about change at first.

 

[Kieran]

I have an old analogue TV, must be about a 12" screen! I never bothered getting a digital one, and in fact I was promised last year that when all TV went digital here, my old telly would be defunct and I'd need a new one. In which event, I was willing to go without, and make do with Netflix and boxsets. But the Doomsday Scenario didn't pan out and we're stuck in the 50's, a hamster on a wheel in a small brown box, slow fade to a white dot when we switch her off.

And I have no problem seeing the yellow ball on the orange dirt, even with my missus yapping in my earhole about her having to make the dinner yet again...

 

[Moxie]

The blue courts is one of the reasons the Australian Open is my favorite Grand Slam. Head and shoulders ahead of the other three in that department I think.

Come on Madrid! Find some balls and go with what you set out to do! Everyone complains about change at first.

I must defend my local Slam on that one: the USO also has blue courts. The area outside of the court is green, though. Obviously, it's a matter of taste, but I don't see how it puts Oz "head and shoulders" above the other 3 for beautiful courts. The grass of Wimbledon brings the tingle of nostalgia and tradition, and the angry red clay of RG fairly roars. But blue is very beautiful for a tennis court, and I agree that Madrid should try to make it work, if they can. ¿Por que no?

 

[Kirijax]

The blue courts is one of the reasons the Australian Open is my favorite Grand Slam. Head and shoulders ahead of the other three in that department I think.

Come on Madrid! Find some balls and go with what you set out to do! Everyone complains about change at first.

I must defend my local Slam on that one: the USO also has blue courts. The area outside of the court is green, though. Obviously, it's a matter of taste, but I don't see how it puts Oz "head and shoulders" above the other 3 for beautiful courts. The grass of Wimbledon brings the tingle of nostalgia and tradition, and the angry red clay of RG fairly roars. But blue is very beautiful for a tennis court, and I agree that Madrid should try to make it work, if they can. ¿Por que no?

True it's blue, but a dull boring blue surrounded by a dull boring green, surrounded by the ugliest stadium court in tennis.

IMHO

 

[Moxie]

The blue courts is one of the reasons the Australian Open is my favorite Grand Slam. Head and shoulders ahead of the other three in that department I think.

Come on Madrid! Find some balls and go with what you set out to do! Everyone complains about change at first.

I must defend my local Slam on that one: the USO also has blue courts. The area outside of the court is green, though. Obviously, it's a matter of taste, but I don't see how it puts Oz "head and shoulders" above the other 3 for beautiful courts. The grass of Wimbledon brings the tingle of nostalgia and tradition, and the angry red clay of RG fairly roars. But blue is very beautiful for a tennis court, and I agree that Madrid should try to make it work, if they can. ¿Por que no?

True it's blue, but a dull boring blue surrounded by a dull boring green, surrounded by the ugliest stadium court in tennis.

IMHO

Ouch! Well, parce blues, if you will. And that stadium may be big and brash (and ugly), but it's named for Arthur Ashe, and the 2nd show court is named for Louis Armstrong, (who was the most prominent neighbor,) and the complex is named for Billie Jean King. So at least we're the most progressive of the Slams. :ras:

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

fun fact (okay, i'm sure people brought it up before):

after threatening to never play Madrid again because of the blue clay, Novak has played exactly one match in three years there

 

[nehmeth]

fun fact (okay, i'm sure people brought it up before):

after threatening to never play Madrid again because of the blue clay, Novak has played exactly one match in three years there

I have no links to support this, but my thoughts are it has more to do with Mr. Tiriac than anything else.

 

[Denis]

fun fact (okay, i'm sure people brought it up before):

after threatening to never play Madrid again because of the blue clay, Novak has played exactly one match in three years there

I have no links to support this, but my thoughts are it has more to do with Mr. Tiriac than anything else.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the deal with Tiriac?

 

[tented]

fun fact (okay, i'm sure people brought it up before):

after threatening to never play Madrid again because of the blue clay, Novak has played exactly one match in three years there

I have no links to support this, but my thoughts are it has more to do with Mr. Tiriac than anything else.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the deal with Tiriac?

In what sense do you mean? He's an ex-player, now multi-billionaire -- you can imagine the ego. With the world No. 1 skipping Madrid (owned by Tiriac), he must be angry, and would be willing to use the press as a backdoor method to strike out at Novak.

Beyond the biographical details, like Nehmeth, these are my opinions of his motivations and goals.

 

[Denis]

I have no links to support this, but my thoughts are it has more to do with Mr. Tiriac than anything else.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the deal with Tiriac?

In what sense do you mean? He's an ex-player, now multi-billionaire -- you can imagine the ego. With the world No. 1 skipping Madrid (owned by Tiriac), he must be angry, and would be willing to use the press as a backdoor method to strike out at Novak.

Beyond the biographical details, like Nehmeth, these are my opinions of his motivations and goals.

Thanks, I was just wondering why so many people dislike him so much. I don't know anything about him except that he is a billionaire and an ex-tennis player. Anything in particular that he has done wrong?

 

[Moxie]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the deal with Tiriac?

In what sense do you mean? He's an ex-player, now multi-billionaire -- you can imagine the ego. With the world No. 1 skipping Madrid (owned by Tiriac), he must be angry, and would be willing to use the press as a backdoor method to strike out at Novak.

Beyond the biographical details, like Nehmeth, these are my opinions of his motivations and goals.

Thanks, I was just wondering why so many people dislike him so much. I don't know anything about him except that he is a billionaire and an ex-tennis player. Anything in particular that he has done wrong?

He comes off as a bully. He came in with lots of money and wanted to make Madrid a glitzy event. Got the ATP to move and downgrade Hamburg. In 2009, he pushed Nadal (then #1) hard to participate, even though Nadal likes to play Barcelona, which is kind of his "home" tourney. And pushed him again, in the press, in 2010 to play, when Nadal was balking, a bit. And he bulldozed the blue clay idea, which the players, (notably Nadal and Djokovic) were not happy with, particularly as they were not consulted about the surface change. The impression is that he's left a bad taste, particularly with the top guys, as his attitude seems to be "my way or the highway."