Comparing fast court's of the 80's-90's and now

[Tennis_Freak99]

How quick are today's fast courts like Dubai,Cincinnati,Shanghai etc. in comparison to the 'fastest' courts of the 80's and 90's?

Which leads to a bigger question- Is the proportion heavily favoring slower courts today? Is there an unsaid 'rule' that tennis is meant to be and should be played on fast courts?

I personally feel there should be an equal balance. The fast courts dominant then and the slower courts dominant now were both not ideal.

What are your thoughts?

 

[BeatlesFan]

There's no comparison. The fastest court remaining is probably Shanghai, and that's far less fast, slick and low bouncing as carpet. It's literally night and day. The fastest court in today's tennis would be slow by 70's-90's standards. Carpet produced fast conditions which are unimaginable for today's players. It's why those who say Novak is the greatest returner ever need to reflect on how Agassi and Connors both produced tremendous ROS's with super slick indoor and grass conditions, as well as graphite rackets or Jimmy's T-2000. Connors returned bullets with this racket:

 

[IowaGuy]

How quick are today's fast courts like Dubai,Cincinnati,Shanghai etc. in comparison to the 'fastest' courts of the 80's and 90's?

Not even close!

 

[IowaGuy]

Another way to think about it:

In the 1980's, even baseliners such as Lendl and Wilander used to S&V on grass!!!

 

[BeatlesFan]

Today, Fed even addressed the issue of the current slow courts to the fast courts of the past:

"There is also no secret that nowadays it's easier...It's just that the surfaces play more even today, more equal. Back in the day, you had really fast grass courts to extremely slow clay courts. The difference was just so extreme that it was hard to do what Borg did, you know, winning back-to-back French Opens, Wimbledons, because the game was so different. You really had to serve and volley on grass. Today you can not serve and volley once on grass and win Wimbledon."

https://www.businessinsider.com/roger-federer-downplays-novak-djokovic-greatest-achievement-2019-3

 

[Deleted member 716271]

Today, Fed even addressed the issue of the current slow courts to the fast courts of the past:

"There is also no secret that nowadays it's easier...It's just that the surfaces play more even today, more equal. Back in the day, you had really fast grass courts to extremely slow clay courts. The difference was just so extreme that it was hard to do what Borg did, you know, winning back-to-back French Opens, Wimbledons, because the game was so different. You really had to serve and volley on grass. Today you can not serve and volley once on grass and win Wimbledon."

https://www.businessinsider.com/roger-federer-downplays-novak-djokovic-greatest-achievement-2019-3

Thats from yesterday

 

[Third Serve]

Another way to think about it:

In the 1980's, even baseliners such as Lendl and Wilander used to S&V on grass!!!

Yes. Even heavy-topspin artist Bjorn Borg was famous for adapting his strategy like this for grass. This is how you recognize true versatility

 

[Deleted member 763024]

Looking at these Miami courts with the azure/pistachio colors, somehow I'm reminded of PlayStation tennis.

I think the transition to video-game tennis is complete.

Pong-like hitting from the baseline all over the world - just select "venue" for a different color of slow hard court, and choose apparel to distinguish one player from the other.

Sad.

 

[IowaGuy]

It's why those who say Novak is the greatest returner ever need to reflect on how Agassi and Connors both produced tremendous ROS's with super slick indoor and grass conditions

Imagine returning 130mph bullets from 1' behind the baseline in these conditions! Ivanisevic had just beaten Lendl, Edberg, and Sampras before this match, against Sampras, Ivanisevic didn't even face a single break point!

 

[ibbi]

Yes, it's very slow-heavy today, just as most of the major tournaments were once heavily slanted towards the quick. I would love to see things more mixed, but it doesn't seem realistic. I think with the ways tennis tech evolved through the 80s and 90s the power in the game coupled with the faster courts was kind of ridiculous after a point.

Folks did complain about how there were no rallies anymore, and so of course everyone went in the total opposite direction, and now we have nothing but rallies.