U.S.Open Blue vs Green

[Coach Chad]

The complex where I coach just completed resurfacing our court; opting to go to U.S. Open blue, not green. Today was the first day of play on it, and after a solid 3 and a half hours of play, I noticed no difference whatsoever in the blue compared to the green...I did notice that play was very agressive todaySome players who hardly ever played a serve and volley game were doing that...and the players were going at it with reckless abandon!Is the color blue somehow responsible for emboldening players to take risks? Has anyone done a study on this? Just wondering!

[db10s]

IIRC I think it helps people relax.

[mikeler]

Makes calling the lines easier with the blue.

[ollinger]

No, both blue and green have been shown to induce relaxation, not aggression. But the OP assumes too much when he equates serve and volley with aggression. In this example a change of playing style could represent boredom, impatience, assertiveness, increased energy, a dislike of the color with resultant wish to end the match sooner, a desire to re-establish pecking order in a novel environment, a whole variety of possible psychological responses. Equating coming to net to hit volleys with aggression is a reach; one is just as likely to see real aggression in baseliners who hit directly at the volleyer. Commentators may call S and V "aggressive play" but it's not clearly aggression in a deeper sense.

[Yourtenniscoach]

I believe the blue is meant to make the ball easier to see (in person and on TV).

[ollinger]

^^ I think the OP is aware of that, but wonders if there might be any unanticipated effects.

[Dave_D]

I think a newly resurfaced court is a bit quicker (more like grass) and thus it makes people want to S&V more often as that is a more conducive strategy for a faster surface.

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by Dave_D

I think a newly resurfaced court is a bit quicker (more like grass) and thus it makes people want to S&V more often as that is a more conducive strategy for a faster surface.

No, Actually a newly resurfaced court plays slower and gets faster over the time. How fast or slow a hard court plays has to do with how much grit is put into the paint. Over time playing on the court the grit gets worn a way and it speeds up.

[retlod]

New color -> excitement -> adrenaline -> energetic play.

[Dave_D]

Originally Posted by vsbabolat

No, Actually a newly resurfaced court plays slower and gets faster over the time. How fast or slow a hard court plays has to do with how much grit is put into the paint. Over time playing on the court the grit gets worn a way and it speeds up.

Well, while you are correct, but if a surface goes for a long time without being re-done it will eventually get so worn that it becomes porous and thus rougher. This will make the surface slower than when it was initially resurfaced. We have a court like that here and it's almost like a clay court it's so slow and high bouncing.

[hollywood9826]

Originally Posted by retlod

New color -> excitement -> adrenaline -> energetic play.

This guy wins.

[Rattler]

Originally Posted by mikeler

Makes calling the lines easier with the blue.

.....This......

[kimbahpnam]

Blue is slower

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by Dave_D

Well, while you are correct, but if a surface goes for a long time without being re-done it will eventually get so worn that it becomes porous and thus rougher. This will make the surface slower than when it was initially resurfaced. We have a court like that here and it's almost like a clay court it's so slow and high bouncing.

Not a hard court. Over time the the aggregate (sand or silicone), added to the acrylic paint wears down, or is lost as the acrylic wears down, and the surface becomes smoother and faster. I've never seen a typical acrylic (ie: Laykold), hard court become porous.