US Open officials: Courts slower, but will speed up

[Crisstti]

The reason why Nadal is getting so much flak is because it is clearly obvious that both Wimbledon and other tournaments have gotten progressively slower throughout the years, and yet he absolutely refuses to admit that the courts are definitely alot slower than they were during the 90s.

No sane person could ever argue that the courts today are faster than they were in the 90s; not even remotely the same speed at all. Not once has he ever answered "Oh yes, I feel the courts may play a little slower or faster than usual." He simply says it is the same every single year, year in and year out, when it is painfully obvious that is not the case.

Please, post the quote where Nadal says the courts aren't slower than in the 90's.

About Wimbledon he's just said he's played there since 2001 or 2002 and that they seem the same to him.

Nadal did NOT play in the 90's

I disagree, it's not about Fed in particular but I'm glad to see any big name player speak against surface homogenization regardless if he's motivated by selfish reasons or not.

One of the things that made tennis a special sport is surface variety, you watch AO and RG you see a lot of grueling rallies, you watch Wimbledon you see serve and volley, you watch USO you see all-court tennis etc. Now it looks so similar all year long that it's getting downright annoying.

It's annoying to some, and it's more entertaining to others. You can't please everyone I guess. It does seem that slower courts are more popular, hence why the decision has been made to slower them and make them all more similar (though NOT the same).

Did Nadal play in the 90's to compare speeds over different surfaces? No.

Was he asked to compare USO 2011 speed to the 90's speed? No.

It's unbelievable to see how many bitter people there are around here. All he said is that from HIS POV the courts play about the same as last year and everybody is OUTRAGEEEDD!!!!

I'm sure the courts seem slow as hell after watching 41 winners wheeze past you in 3 sets.

Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ indeed. It's just shocking how hateful and stupid some people are.

 

[Cormorant]

Nadal never denied that Wimbledon was less fast than during the 90s. What he said is that it's still the fastest of the 4 slams and he is absolutely right about that.

Seems that way to me, although it's almost been accepted as axiomatic amongst many fans that the USO in recent years has been fastest.

But even with players like Isner and Nadal asserting the speed of SW19, Fish seems to have been quoted claiming the USO is quicker.

You'd think 70-68 could have cleared things up in this debate but no, it rages on.

 

[obsessedtennisfandisorder]

The organisers used to regularly tinker with the surface until they were happy with what they saw in 2003.

In the 90s, I'm pretty sure that there were strong accusations, led by players like Ivanisevic, that the organisers were slowing down the surface to favour Agassi who was the big star and cash cow (casual fans didn't care about the other American players).

LOL that is untrue,

the court played fast in the 80's(faster than today) and they speed it up
in the mid 90's again.....In 2004 they started slowing it.

as for agassi ..not sure about that theory. faster pints meant 1st strike
tennis which means noone could ever expliot agassi's defensive weakness.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

If the resurfacing is done in rainy, humid, conditions, the courts will play differently, period.

 

[DjokovicForTheWin]

Fed said the Wimby grass is so even now that you can do half volleys much more easily now whereas it would have been very difficult in the fast uneven grass.

 

[BULLZ1LLA]

Nadal is such a liar. But hey, what else is new. Slow courts are good for him since he's just a retriever.

(Ferrer is a retriever. Nadal [and Roddick] owns the US Open record for champion being broken the fewest times. Not saying that record is all because of Nadal's serve, but you don't hold like that without attacking)

 

[Clarky21]

(Ferrer is a retriever. Nadal [and Roddick] owns the US Open record for champion being broken the fewest times. Not saying that record is all because of Nadal's serve, but you don't hold like that without attacking)

Nadal was broken more times in his first round match this year than he was all tournament long last year. He's a mess.

And Trollforthewin,what do you think Djokovic is? He is more defensive now than ever before,and his best surface is slow hard courts. By your logic,he must be a retriever as well.

 

[BULLZ1LLA]

Nadal was broken more times in his first round match this year than he was all tournament long last year. He's a mess.

(Yet he still hasn't dropped a set, and is averaging 67% of 1st serves into play, and in 2nd round had 24 winners 5 unforced errors)

 

[Ray Mercer]

(Yet he still hasn't dropped a set, and is averaging 67% of 1st serves into play, and 113mph 1st serve, including several over 130mph including 133mph [and he averaged 116mph 1st serve in US Open final last year, so not much different])

Nadal should have been out in the first round to that bum. If he makes the final he will be spanked. His retrieving isn't enough to beat Djokovic. Nadal isn't a shotmaker.

 

[Clarky21]

(Yet he still hasn't dropped a set, and is averaging 67% of 1st serves into play, and in 2nd round had 24 winners 5 unforced errors)

Just wait until tomorrow when he faces Nalby,a guy who has always given him trouble,even on slow hard courts. What do you think is going to happen here on a faster court? It could be a slaughter if Nadal plays the way he has been playing.

 

[HunterST]

Nadal never denied that Wimbledon was less fast than during the 90s. What he said is that it's still the fastest of the 4 slams and he is absolutely right about that.

The consensus seems to be that US Open (at least in previous years) was significantly faster than Wimbledon. I've heard tons of players say this.

 

[Ray Mercer]

Wimbledon might be afaster surface but with those balls they use the surface is slow. The balls make all the difference in the world.

 

[Murrayfan31]

The consensus seems to be that US Open (at least in previous years) was significantly faster than Wimbledon. I've heard tons of players say this.

It used to be. It changed last year imo.

 

[BULLZ1LLA]

Just wait until tomorrow when he faces Nalby,a guy who has always given him trouble,even on slow hard courts. What do you think is going to happen here on a faster court? It could be a slaughter if Nadal plays the way he has been playing.

(That's your out-clause, easy claim to make when you can just turn around and say 'Nadal played better than he has been'. Fact is, his movement in the 1st and 2nd round has been OUTSTANDING [just as it was at Roland Garros this year]. And he definitely has found his rhythm from the baseline, as round 2 indicates. Nalbandian obviously has no chance of winning the match if he loses the 1st set, so you will no doubt be glued to the screen for that 1st set)