Front242 said:
Broken_Shoelace said:
Nothing is overblown and misunderstood in tennis like the issue of surfaces. We know the surfaces are more homogenous but according to some, the AO is mega slow (it isn't) and Wimbledon plays like clay in the second week. I honestly think this is a direct result of the emergence of Rafael Nadal as an all court player. And yeah, I'm aware slowing down the surfaces was an issue before he came along, but you never heard anything is silly as Wimbledon playing like clay until he reached the final for the first time.
The main issue with the AO these days isn't the speed but the bounce which imo was much better on the older Rebound Ace surface. Hardcourt is meant to reward aggressive play and the higher bounce on Plexicushion has detracted a lot from that as defensive players can now more easily run balls down as they hang in the air longer and don't fly through the air as easily for clean winners as they did on the Rebound Ace surface. The way it is now we're subjected to 6 hour finals which frankly is ridiculous for a hardcourt surface. Rally after rally after rally. I'm fine with rallies in matches but not on practically every point. When the bounce has been altered on the surface to the extent that it makes hitting winners so much harder that doesn't make it a proper hardcourt anymore. Lower bouncing hardcourt matches are not only more normal length but imo (and each to their own if you happen to love 6 hours of sprinting along the baseline but I don't) much more aesthetically watchable as the lower bounce enables players to hit a lot more winners.
And no this isn't a help Federer by changing the surface comment, I happen to think it makes it better to watch first and foremost and I do like a lot of other players beside Federer but it's screwing up their chances too the way the surface plays now.
I will help you on the AO surface:
Rebound Ace actually allowed the ball to bounce HIGHER....imaging that. Watch the videos.
Plexi keeps the ball lower relative speaking, has more grit (more bite) BUT plays a little bit slower. Meaning, it's harder to hit through the court despite the lower bounce.
I will tell you this, plexi has allowed EPIC matches of ATTACKING tennis at it's very best with hundreds of winners hit by a single player. Roddick/Koly, Verdasco/Nadal, Tsonga/Nadal just to name a few. Tell me how in 2008 the surface stop Tsonga from DEMOLISHING Nadal with all out aggressive, in your face tennis?
So here you are, talking about grass but you don't even accurately describes the difference between rebound ace and plexi.
