Will the slams ever change surfaces? USO/AO to be played on clay/grass?

[6-1 6-3 6-0]

From 1905-1987, the Australian Open was played on grass.
From 1881-1974, the US Open was played on grass, and then on clay from 1975-1977.
Roland Garros and Wimbledon have always been played on the same surface.

Will we ever see the US Open played on a clay-court or grass-court surface again, and see 3 different surfaces for one slam in one decade (the 1970s)? Since half of the slams are on hard-court, it might be better if one slam ran on a cycle of clay-grass-hardcourt. The US Open is currently played on hard-court, so next in the cycle would be a clay-court, and then a grass-court after one year. Then the other 3 slams would just stay fixed on one surface, so there's an equal balance across the slams.

Would this be a fairer representation of the tennis calendar?

 

[smoledman]

In your dreams NSK.

 

[Lovely_Bone]

If anything, one of them should change to carpet, and have that be then end of it. 4 Slams on 4 surfaces. Doubt it will happen though

 

[kishnabe]

Just turn Australian Open to Indoor Hard Court....they are coming off the Indoor season after the Asian Swing.

So it would be fitting.

 

[serve stopper]

Why would the US open change surface when the US is known for the hard court swing during the summer. The US is basically hard court only here anyway.

 

[SStrikerR]

Why would the US open change surface when the US is known for the hard court swing during the summer. The US is basically hard court only here anyway.

You do know the US Open wasn't always a hard court tournament, right? I do agree though, considering how the majority of US players play on hard courts, the slam should reflect that. That is the US's tennis identity.

Personally I think that the slams should all be different surfaces, but thanks to the elimination of carpet, that wouldn't make much sense. WTF is already the premier indoor HC tourney so we don't need another.

It's a shame really, but at least the HC slams are different speeds.

 

[single_handed_champion]

You don't have much understanding of corporate decisions in the sport, do you? Firstly there is the whole thing about the hardcourt lead-up, an entire US Open series with numerous tournaments geared towards this. Then there is the 'US major has to be played on courts used in the US'. Then the teensy detail of overhauling the entire BJKNTC to a new surface every year. I mean, after heated deliberation, they decided not to add a roof to Ashe. Good luck with anything of this magnitude ever happening.

 

[SLD76]

rafa hurt his knees this year grinding his way thru clay and his last match was on grass.


oooops

 

[Alchemy-Z]

AO - OUT DOOR HARD COURT
FO- CLAY
WIM-GRASS
USO -INDOOR HARD COURT

WTF- Rotates surface/location every year Grass/Clay/Hardcourt

 

[augustobt]

WTF should forever be on O2/Indoor hardcourts.

AO is almost a clay court event =P

 

[smoledman]

Eliminate the French Open.

 

[jokinla]

Oh please, we need another slam on clay, please please please. Haven't they slowed up all the surfaces enough for Rafa.

 

[Seany]

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=6796394&postcount=136

 

[SQA333]

I think we need fewer clay court tournaments, and more carpet/indoor/grass events. Tennis needs to stop promoting a slow, boring, counterpunching style.

 

[RF20Lennon]

NO GUYS try to imagine this guys plight hes lost hope nadal is never going to win a HC slam so...... hence this thread

 

[SQA333]

From 1905-1987, the Australian Open was played on grass.
From 1881-1974, the US Open was played on grass, and then on clay from 1975-1977.
Roland Garros and Wimbledon have always been played on the same surface.

Will we ever see the US Open played on a clay-court or grass-court surface again, and see 3 different surfaces for one slam in one decade (the 1970s)? Since half of the slams are on hard-court, it might be better if one slam ran on a cycle of clay-grass-hardcourt. The US Open is currently played on hard-court, so next in the cycle would be a clay-court, and then a grass-court after one year. Then the other 3 slams would just stay fixed on one surface, so there's an equal balance across the slams.

Would this be a fairer representation of the tennis calendar?

By the time they even get to that change of surface (fat hope), Nadal would've been long gone.

 

[AnotherTennisProdigy]

If we were doing drastic changes to the tournaments, I would rather lengthen the grass season. It's way too short, only a warmup tourney and a slam. Replace one hard and one clay for grass tourney's and we would actually have a legit "grass season".

The slams are fine the way they are, no need to change them. (Although I wish they would adjust the speed of the court)

 

[finalfantasy7]

What was green clay like in U.S?, I think I read that it played like hardcourt - speed wise. But how fast, considering Toronto/ Cinci/miami. Play very different.


If OP would like another surface, he wouldn't mind another clay, would you consider blue clay?.considering it was great to watch, adds a bit more speed to a slow surface.

 

[serve stopper]

You do know the US Open wasn't always a hard court tournament, right? I do agree though, considering how the majority of US players play on hard courts, the slam should reflect that. That is the US's tennis identity.

Personally I think that the slams should all be different surfaces, but thanks to the elimination of carpet, that wouldn't make much sense. WTF is already the premier indoor HC tourney so we don't need another.

It's a shame really, but at least the HC slams are different speeds.

I did know that about the U.S Open, but that is what we were. When you think American tennis now, do you think of a grass court or a clay court. You think of hard courts. If we tried to change this, all the players would go insane. We saw the effects of change when they tried it in madrid with top players.

 

[EmEmEm]

Changing the surface of one slam every year sounds like a very expensive, work intensive endeavor. I don't see any tournament doing this because it wouldn't yield much for the cost.

I agree with kishnabe, having AO be indoor hard court might make things more interesting and/or balanced.

 

[Ellipses]

You do know the US Open wasn't always a hard court tournament, right? I do agree though, considering how the majority of US players play on hard courts, the slam should reflect that. That is the US's tennis identity.

Personally I think that the slams should all be different surfaces, but thanks to the elimination of carpet, that wouldn't make much sense. WTF is already the premier indoor HC tourney so we don't need another.

It's a shame really, but at least the HC slams are different speeds.

For some reason it doesn't seem to be regarded as a premier tournament around here.

 

[USOpenfan]

I would be very interested to see a slam played on Carpet as I'm not very familiar with any Carpet tournaments. Anyone know one I can search for to watch a match?

 

[SQA333]

I would be very interested to see a slam played on Carpet as I'm not very familiar with any Carpet tournaments. Anyone know one I can search for to watch a match?

Tennis Masters Cup 2005.

 

[SQA333]

6-1 is just sad that his beloved Rafa has to play 2 slams a year on his worst surface

 

[merlinpinpin]

For some reason it doesn't seem to be regarded as a premier tournament around here.

Said reason is not a secret--it's regarded as an exho by the VB because Nadal has never won it. Same reason why the Real Slam(TM) is seen as a low-rate M1000, and why Monte Carlo and Barcelona are considered as the most prestigious tournaments ever. That's not rocket science, just extreme Rafa-worship.