O2 Arena looks faster than last year

I am now watching doubles match and court DEFINITELY looks faster than last year.

Surprising. ATP should correct themselves and change it to blue clay in time.

doubles always look faster ......it is a faster pace....your mind is playing tricks it is the same speed

We'll see better in next match.

I don't see much difference. But it's the combo of balls + surface that matters. Those HEAD balls plays tricks on people. Sometimes they get worn superfast like in Paris and then it looks slow (like ass) and then they switch to new balls and it suddenly looks medium again. They need to fix the balls + surface combo so it never again can be like Paris. If they got a rough surface that fluffs up the balls then they need different balls and so on

Disgusting that they changed the speed against the tradition of the O2 arena

Wow. If it's faster do you think everyone will start serve and volleying?

No. Me neither.

Becker said he thought it was slower.

I doubt you can fully judge the velocity/bounce of the court by just watching the first set of a doubles match...

Disgusting that they changed the speed against the tradition of the O2 arena

Tradition of the O2 arena. :haha:

Tradition of the O2 arena. :haha:

that 2 years really made history

the tournament director said that the surface was the same as last year

it's slower

no big change from paris

No

Still slow and awful.

Castle/Henman said it seemed a little slower and higher bouncing than last year but should speed up a bit as the week goes on.

Those HEAD balls plays tricks on people. Sometimes they get worn superfast like in Paris and then it looks slow (like ass) and then they switch to new balls and it suddenly looks medium again.I laughed, I must admit. :lol:

If it's been slowed down then like Paris I'm not gonna be watching a single point.

No. Still slower than ass.

Tsonga said it's faster than Bercy. That's not difficult though, Bercy was insanely slow.

Looks slow and high bouncing. Nadal should do well.

Slow.

Nadal will do well.

Wow. If it's faster do you think everyone will start serve and volleying?

No. Me neither.
no but that has more to do with it being an outdated, ineffective playstyle than the speed of the courts

no but that has more to do with it being an outdated, ineffective playstyle than the speed of the courts

wrong AS USUAL

The fact people continue to think Nadal will automatically do well because it's a slow surface shows me how little so many here know about tennis.

hell no that shit slow as hell

The fact people continue to think Nadal will automatically do well because it's a slow surface shows me how little so many here know about tennis.

It's a slow court which apparently takes spin well. The perfect HC for Nadal. It's not a guarantee that he will do well, but it's the perfect conditions.
(I know Nadal has said he prefers a fast court, but Murray says his favourite surface is clay. Nadal's best HC results have been on slow, high-bouncing HCs.)

I am now watching doubles match and court DEFINITELY looks faster than last year.

What channel showed it?

It only looked faster because Tsonga hits the crap out of the ball...

Ive dealt with contacts at Gerflor, and the Jean Francois at Paris along with a Tour official.

Its really not too complicated - they wanted the same surface conditions for the Big 4 at the end of the year - problem is that climate effects the indoors more than people think. Valencia this time of year is very damp and that gets into thier arena and slows down play. Basel has some altitude that is somewhat exaggerated indoors and speeds up play. London and Paris are somewhere in between

But the Greenset for Basel, Valencia and London all the same and very close to the Gerflor in Paris this year. They tried to make them the same, but Gerflor was using a little harder acrylic- but more rounded silica == higher but faster bounce. Greenset went back to more slick, rounded silica on top like they use to use a few years ago when they were a quicker surface = Greenset a little quicker than last year(more sticky sub angular sand last year) - but still a little slower than Gerflor BUT lower bounce == BASICALLY THE SAME

So all surfaces with all Head ATP balls = Medium pace of play giving advantages to no single player. Because of climate Basel little quicker, Valencia a little slower

The reason London looked so slow in the First Singles match today is due to problems with Heat and AC - -sounds weird , but a lot of DRY AIR = STATIC CHARGE = SLOW ! Once the humidity picks up it will lose the dryness and static and start playing a little quicker

Will then be at the MEDIUM PACE LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THESE DAYS

Ive dealt with contacts at Gerflor, and the Jean Francois at Paris along with a Tour official.

Its really not too complicated - they wanted the same surface conditions for the Big 4 at the end of the year - problem is that climate effects the indoors more than people think. Valencia this time of year is very damp and that gets into thier arena and slows down play. Basel has some altitude that is somewhat exaggerated indoors and speeds up play. London and Paris are somewhere in between

But the Greenset for Basel, Valencia and London all the same and very close to the Gerflor in Paris this year. They tried to make them the same, but Gerflor was using a little harder acrylic- but more rounded silica == higher but faster bounce. Greenset went back to more slick, rounded silica on top like they use to use a few years ago when they were a quicker surface = Greenset a little quicker than last year(more sticky sub angular sand last year) - but still a little slower than Gerflor BUT lower bounce == BASICALLY THE SAME

So all surfaces with all Head ATP balls = Medium pace of play giving advantages to no single player. Because of climate Basel little quicker, Valencia a little slower

The reason London looked so slow in the First Singles match today is due to problems with Heat and AC - -sounds weird , but a lot of DRY AIR = STATIC CHARGE = SLOW ! Once the humidity picks up it will lose the dryness and static and start playing a little quicker

Will then be at the MEDIUM PACE LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THESE DAYS

:confused: most courts aren't anywhere near medium pace!

:confused: most courts aren't anywhere near medium pace!

LOL - that's the goal of all the TV big wigs and the tour - - eliminate conditions as a factor- one medium pace - so its all about the players!

But Medium is a subjective term. Maybe you think everything is slow now - compared to the 1990s you would be right. By Medium pace , I simply mean fair to every style - not like the Grass or indoor carpets of the 90s, but not like the slower Clay of the old French open or some of the slower clay courts that exist today - Monte Carlo, Estoril.

But if you are just rating Indoor pace - then this isnt even medium - you are correct. Did you watch the challengers the last couple of weeks- there's some faster indoor tennis for you ;)

thanks for the explanation, lilygotsilly :)

LOL - that's the goal of all the TV big wigs and the tour - - eliminate conditions as a factor- one medium pace - so its all about the players!

But Medium is a subjective term. Maybe you think everything is slow now - compared to the 1990s you would be right. By Medium pace , I simply mean fair to every style - not like the Grass or indoor carpets of the 90s, but not like the slower Clay of the old French open or some of the slower clay courts that exist today - Monte Carlo, Estoril.

But if you are just rating Indoor pace - then this isnt even medium - you are correct. Did you watch the challengers the last couple of weeks- there's some faster indoor tennis for you ;)

These courts ALL favour defensive brick wall players, not pro-active attacking players, shot makers or serve volleyers.

Higher bounce compared to last year, according to Federer.

:confused: most courts aren't anywhere near medium pace!

These courts ALL favour defensive brick wall players, not pro-active attacking players, shot makers or serve volleyers.


Oh, rocket my friend, still whining I see. :lol:
Seriously, if you cannot enjoy the tennis anymore, why don't you just stop watching tennis (and quit posting on this forum) and let the true tennis fans enjoy the sport? :D

:D

Oh, rocket my friend, still whining I see. :lol:
Seriously, if you cannot enjoy the tennis anymore, why don't you just stop watching tennis (and quit posting on this forum) and let the true tennis fans enjoy the sport? :D

:D

You aren't a true tennis fan, you're a corporate ATP 'fan' who eats up anything it spits out.

You aren't a true tennis fan, you're a corporate ATP 'fan' who eats up anything it spits out.


No,, I'm not. But if you think that your whining on an internet message board will change anything, please go on :lol:

No,, I'm not. But if you think that your whining on an internet message board will change anything, please go on :lol:

Your faves get handed everything on a silver platter, course you're not gonna give a damn. :shrug:

You know this is crap, rocket.

Actually the media people were saying it was a quick court :shrug:

Ive dealt with contacts at Gerflor, and the Jean Francois at Paris along with a Tour official.


Lol, you're here also. I suspect you won't last long, it's not as polite as elsewhere.

By the way, describing them as "contacts" you're "dealing with" - are you a tennis journalist?


The reason London looked so slow in the First Singles match today is due to problems with Heat and AC - -sounds weird , but a lot of DRY AIR = STATIC CHARGE = SLOW ! Once the humidity picks up it will lose the dryness and static and start playing a little quicker


I think you must have been looking at some other London.

Humidity was actually 98-100% during the Fed-Tsonga match, because of the fog. It was so bad a pile of flights got cancelled.

LOL - i have my guesses as to who you are. Anyway - I really do talk to these people - amazing that people will believe whatever they read on the internet , but someone saying they go back and forth with manufacturers and tournament officials is completely un believable.

Of course , with London , I was talking about inside the Arena - but if the info you gave is correct then that explains something - but as I said earlier - if there's any real effect it pretty much balances out between dry and wet - which makes for good indoor conditions. iF its getting too humid indoors today , then that will make for a slower pace - either way they do a good job at the O2 so it will be ironed out -

Ive been here for a while - dont use the site that often or post that often - just thought I would chime in quick this time

YOu better get over to your player quotes - there should be a lot - -Feds already saying "high bounce" better mark it down in your notes. LOL

its much slower and bouncy than Paris. Federer serve and one punch tennis all the way in Paris and against Tsonga. Today Tsonga gets to rally a lot more and won a set. With this court Djokovic had this easy.

its much slower and bouncy than Paris. Federer serve and one punch tennis all the way in Paris and against Tsonga. Today Tsonga gets to rally a lot more and won a set. With this court Djokovic had this easy.

I disagree with this assessment. In my mind Joker is more vulnerable on slower surfaces. Djokovic is not really a retriever as such, not in the Murray and Nadal sense.

Its still blu clay nothing new here..

I disagree with this assessment. In my mind Joker is more vulnerable on slower surfaces. Djokovic is not really a retriever as such, not in the Murray and Nadal sense.

Not like them, he is even better at it.

I disagree with this assessment. In my mind Joker is more vulnerable on slower surfaces. Djokovic is not really a retriever as such, not in the Murray and Nadal sense.

He is the best returner out of top 4 right now. He is strongest at slowest court like AO, miami and indian wells. But who knows he may be vulnerable to play defensively right now health wise.

I really do talk to these people - amazing that people will believe whatever they read on the internet , but someone saying they go back and forth with manufacturers and tournament officials is completely un believable.

lol, god forbid someone actually knows something on mtf. around these parts, i find that baseless/biased complaining trumps actual knowledge and insight most of the time. at any rate, i appreciate your court speed info, so thanks for sharing.