If you could change the 4 grand slam surfaces, what you change them to?

[liam the shark]

I think this is an interesting discussion. Lets say you could pick the surface at each grand slam. Would you take away hard courts or clay? Personally, I would have 2 grass slams, 1 clay, and 1 hard. I think it would make things more interesting and force players to be more adaptable than just being good on hard and being garbage on clay/grass.

Another interesting note is if you made one of the hard court slams clay, in that case, Rafa could have surpassed 40 grand slams.

Thoughts?

 

[ffw2]

Butter.

 

[itrium84]

Would change AO only, by covering all the courts, making it indoor event.

 

[Razer]

4 Slams are just OK, there is no need to change any surface, maybe you could speed up Grass and make it like Queens/Halle.

However, ATP should upgrade the status of the ATP Finals to Indoor Slam Status and also re-calibrate the slam counts of previous era greats, that means all the ATP Finals won by players until 2022 should be included on their resume as the 5th slam and added to their slam tally.

 

[Bartelby]

A 'slam' is actually something legally owned by the big four, not the ATP, so you can't really go around creating more without permission.

 

[Incognito]

I there were 2 clay and 2 grass surfaces from 20 years ago.

 

[Razer]

A 'slam' is actually something legally owned by the big four, not the ATP, so you can't really go around creating more without permission.

You need permission of the 4 slams to create more slams ? Why ?

 

[Alcawrath]

Would change AO only, by covering all the courts, making it indoor event.

I think making one of the four exclusively indoor is a great idea. Most people world wide play on hard-court, clay, and indoor hard-court (with a few lucky ones that have access to grass). Making the four grand slams represent those environments seems fitting.

 

[bluetrain4]

You need permission of the 4 slams to create more slams ? Why ?

Technically the ITF organizes and oversees the Slams, not the ATP and WTA tours. I have no idea if "Grand Slam" and "Slam(s)" has been copyrighted such that the terms can't be applied to other tournaments. If so, then that would be one reason. If not, then I guess the tours could create more Slams, and it would be up to the public, tennis commentators, etc. to decide whether they consider them "true Slams." Miami, back when it was The Lipton Championships, was best of five every round for men and some people murmured about it being a fifth Slam (or at least on its way), though it never became equal of the other Slams. The tours do have some history of creating other "big" events but they've generally fallen short of outright attempting to create more Slams. Women's golf went from four majors to five majors.

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

just mirror the 90’s conditions. Make it more difficult for top Guys to stay on top and create more surface specialists and a depth of talent on tour

 

[daggerman]

If you asked this question ~5 years ago, I would've said that both the AO and USO should be medium-fast or fast hardcourt. In this physical era of tennis, it's irresponsible to hold the two hottest slams of the year on slow HC.

Fortunately, both of those tournaments have adjusted their surface speed, and I think it has produced better tennis while (and due to) being safer for the players.

 

[Sudacafan]

No grass. Almost nobody plays on grass.
3 to 4 slams on clay.
0 to 1 slams on other surfaces.

 

[Omega Mouse]

4 Slams are just OK, there is no need to change any surface, maybe you could speed up Grass and make it like Queens/Halle.

However, ATP should upgrade the status of the ATP Finals to Indoor Slam Status and also re-calibrate the slam counts of previous era greats, that means all the ATP Finals won by players until 2022 should be included on their resume as the 5th slam and added to their slam tally.

lol... i'm sure you're not serious. You cannot determine the importance of certain tournaments after the fact.

 

[helterskelter]

4 Slams are just OK, there is no need to change any surface, maybe you could speed up Grass and make it like Queens/Halle.

However, ATP should upgrade the status of the ATP Finals to Indoor Slam Status and also re-calibrate the slam counts of previous era greats, that means all the ATP Finals won by players until 2022 should be included on their resume as the 5th slam and added to their slam tally.

Definitely do NOT retroactively change the status of an event.

 

[Sudacafan]

If you asked this question ~5 years ago, I would've said that both the AO and USO should be medium-fast or fast hardcourt. In this physical era of tennis, it's irresponsible to hold the two hottest slams of the year on slow HC.

Fortunately, both of those tournaments have adjusted their surface speed, and I think it has produced better tennis while (and due to) being safer for the players.

Hottest slams is just because they are non-European slams.

 

[Johnny505]

A collapsible court that can open up and drop the players in a pool of sxxt controlled by the live viewers on line, who can vote how bad the players are playing and if the match was worth their time watching. Their prize money for that round for the players is then shared amongst the viewers who voted.

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Would change AO only, by covering all the courts, making it indoor event.

Why AO and not USO instead? I like the beautiful cyan blue courts, they layed there, why ruin it? now the USO on another hand...i would change it to virtually anything, other than what it is now even to the classic red clay...LOL

 

[liam the shark]

I think having a dedicated indoor hard court slam would be cool, although preferably it would be in a place that is extremely rainy or cold, so it actually is a place in the world that tennis is mainly played indoors

 

[onehandbh]

1) Wimbledon: change it back to the faster grass
2) Roland Garros: keep the same
3) US Open: Slow hard court
4) Australian Open: Fast hard court

 

[Djokodalerer31]

I think having a dedicated indoor hard court slam would be cool, although preferably it would be in a place that is extremely rainy or cold, so it actually is a place in the world that tennis is mainly played indoors

North Pole then...right where the Polar Cap is to be completely certain...and make them play only where there are heavy blizzards too to add to authencity!...and if there are no blizzards - cancel the match, tournament, life...everything!...

 

[onehandbh]

And additional slam:

5) Everyman Slam:
128 player draw. Cannot be ranked 1500 or higher, but must have at least 1 ATP point.
127 players from ATP.

1 wildcard given to USTA 4.0 National Champion singles player with best record at nationals.

 

[Razer]

lol... i'm sure you're not serious. You cannot determine the importance of certain tournaments after the fact.

Definitely do NOT retroactively change the status of an event.

ATP Finals have always been the next best tournament after Slams, you are just granting it slams status and making it best of 5 sets now. This doesn't make any difference, those who could not win it could not win it anyway because they were not good enough, not because they took it lightly.

 

[jimmy8]

All clay so Iga can win 100 slams.

 

[Federev]

I think this is an interesting discussion. Lets say you could pick the surface at each grand slam. Would you take away hard courts or clay? Personally, I would have 2 grass slams, 1 clay, and 1 hard. I think it would make things more interesting and force players to be more adaptable than just being good on hard and being garbage on clay/grass.

Another interesting note is if you made one of the hard court slams clay, in that case, Rafa could have surpassed 40 grand slams.

Thoughts?

 

[Pheasant]

They can keep the slams the same, except speed up the grass at Wimbledon.

I’d change the WTF to carpet. Also, I’d have the points at the WTF increased to 3000 to mimic the prize money given out. Last year, Djokov earned 4.7 million dollars by going 5-0 at the WTF. This was substantially more than any slam paid. And I’d love the WTF to have a large bearing on the rankings at the end of the year. 3000 points for that event would be a step I the right direction.

Seriously, does anybody like the playoffs in other sports? I sure do. I’d love to see the WTF be the biggest tourney of the year. Treat it like the year-end playoffs like other sports do. It already pays like
It with 4.7 million dollars up for grabs.

 

[liam the shark]

They can keep the slams the same, except speed up the grass at Wimbledon.

I’d change the WTF to carpet. Also, I’d have the points at the WTF increased to 3000 to mimic the prize money given out. Last year, Djokov earned 4.7 million dollars by going 5-0 at the WTF. This was substantially more than any slam paid. And I’d love the WTF to have a large bearing on the rankings at the end of the year. 3000 points for that event would be a step I the right direction.

Seriously, does anybody like the playoffs in other sports? I sure do. I’d love to see the WTF be the biggest tourney of the year. Treat it like the year-end playoffs like other sports do. It already pays like
It with 4.7 million dollars up for grabs.

I agree, even if they couldnt make it an official slam make it as close to a slam as possible. Best of 5, more points, etc.

 

[NatF]

No one said blue clay yet?

 

[pedro94]

Butter.

Liquid, softened, or fridge temperature?

 

[Benf15harp]

AO - black top asphalt
FO - pavers
W - wood
Uso - slick painted concrete

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

All clay

 

[ibbi]

I'd have the US Open as a quick indoor carpet tournament. The indoor keeps the rain from interrupting all the time, the quick surface will keep from messing with the beloved TV scheduling, and be easier on the players (leaving aside the reason they got rid of carpet in the first place ) at that later stage in the year, allowing them to play shorter points.

Have Aussie Open similar to how it was in the 90s so you have two for those who like the slower stuff and two for those who like it quicker.

 

[Lozo1016]

Grass, clay, linoleum, and ice.

 

[mixtape]

I would rotate the surfaces for each Slam.

Year 1: Hard, Year 2: Grass, Year 3: Clay.

It would be interesting to see clay and hard courts at Wimbledon and at the FO.