[mysterious]

Originally Posted by Snowwy

Do you think the average fan likes, two shot rallies or fifteen shot rallies?

And there folks is the answers to this thread sadly

It's not a question of whether people like two shot rallies or fifteen shot rallies. There should be a time and a place for all types of tennis. Variation of the surfaces which lead to variation of tactics and thus varying success rates is what lead to tennis to being far superior to other sports in terms of variation, not so long back. Tennis should be all about variation but how things have changed. We have the same tennis being played on absolutely every surface. Pretty much the only thing that leads to players having different success rates is how ones ability to move is altered.

[FedFan]

Courier:

“If you were in control of the sport of tennis and you wanted to promote that kind of diversity of style, you’d have to promote diversity of speed of court because they have homogenized the surfaces around the world. If they had more surfaces around the world like Paris Bercy last year, which was ice, effectively, you’d see the return of a few serve and volleyers that could be succesful on tour. It’s just been impossible for the serve and volleyers to succeed which is why they’ve gone the way of dinosaurs.

When Roger Federer won his first Wimbledon he served and volleyed a ton. In that time Wimbledon has changed the surface. It has gotten slower and harder and more like this surface , which has allowed the baseliners to excel. See Nadal, Rafa.
You put that court back to the way it used to be at Wimbledon, and indoor tournaments like Paris Bercy, back to their original quick speeds, you’d see some players with some diversity in their games.”

[TheTennisFanatic]

I would just like to see more grass court tournaments which would be more conducive for serve and volley tennis. There should be at least one season which supports that style of play in order for players to opt for it. Maybe the world tour finals, being the most flexible tournament, could be held on grass.

[Topspindoctor]

Sure, speed up the courts as long as you make clay what it was before instead of hard court with clay dust on it, that way no S&V mug or baseline basher would ever get past the 3R of RG.

[Shirogane]

Then I'd be fine with the likes of Edberg, Stich or Mac still going deep on clay.

Originally Posted by Snowwy

Oh for sure, I think we can safely say Roger would have never won the career GS in the 90's and Nadal wouldn't have by this point in his career either, he still could if he continues to adapt his game, but I don't think he would have won it either.

Although you could make the argument that Agassi winning on all four surfaces, yet not even being the best player of his generation meant that it was a weak era. I don't believe that, but I bet that could be very well supported.

He proved his versatility in a specialists era, while Fedal have proved the best at dealing with the homogenized conditions. All three had a bit of luck anyway.

[juan77]

I remember those one two punch days back in the 90's. They were equally boring. Watching ace after ace isn't fun at all. But what we have today is boring as well. I wish there were a happy medium with an equal chance for baseliners and serve and volleyers. Back then being an all court player used to be a special kind of talent. Now almost all players play the same on all courts.

[Mechlan]

Originally Posted by mysterious

It's not a question of whether people like two shot rallies or fifteen shot rallies. There should be a time and a place for all types of tennis. Variation of the surfaces which lead to variation of tactics and thus varying success rates is what lead to tennis to being far superior to other sports in terms of variation, not so long back. Tennis should be all about variation but how things have changed. We have the same tennis being played on absolutely every surface. Pretty much the only thing that leads to players having different success rates is how ones ability to move is altered.

Exactly. They don't even necessarily have to speed up the courts. All they have to do is drop the ball size a bit and we'll get conditions that favor offense instead of defense. Do that judiciously and we can go back to actually having some variety again.

[Snowwy]

Originally Posted by Shirogane

He proved his versatility in a specialists era, while Fedal have proved the best at dealing with the homogenized conditions. All three had a bit of luck anyway.

That's the general consensus, but you have to admit, there are two ways you could look at that, I'm not trying to knock anyone down, there is no way to prove one way or the other.

[Action Jackson]

I have answered this so many times, some people actually fathom what happened initially for the change that happened. The ones that don't either don't have a clue or want to be ignorant.

They use a lighter ball on clay, and a heavier one on the faster surfaces, this helps as well as quickening the clay as much as they can with a natural surface. Carpet doesn't exist as a surface now besides a few challengers.

Yes, they could speed the faster surfaces up a bit, of course it won't be like it was and nor it should be.

[Raiden]

Originally Posted by FairWeatherFan

Unfortunately the tennis authorities are biased in favour of Nadal and his fans who support him. This Australian Open is even slower than it has been in previous year, though that might also be the Stosur effect.

By that you mean you reckon that this year's AO surface-ball combination was made slow in order to cater to clay-ace Sam Stosur so that an Aussie wins a homeland major?

[philosophicalarf]

Aus hasn't been changed. Federer said as much in an interview.

[Silvester]

so yesterday Federer was asked about the court speeds. His opinion was that during the day when the surface is hot, the court speed is just as quick however at night it slows down significantly. Must be why Rafa only had day matches in the first couple rounds.

[Henry Chinaski]

Originally Posted by mysterious

It's not a question of whether people like two shot rallies or fifteen shot rallies. There should be a time and a place for all types of tennis. Variation of the surfaces which lead to variation of tactics and thus varying success rates is what lead to tennis to being far superior to other sports in terms of variation, not so long back. Tennis should be all about variation but how things have changed. We have the same tennis being played on absolutely every surface. Pretty much the only thing that leads to players having different success rates is how ones ability to move is altered.

^^^

[nobama]

So the rumors of the US Open being slowed down are apparently true. Have any other players commented on the surface this year?

[Armless]

Some Heads must fly, it's ridiculous what they're doing to the game.