When you run out of tennis stories, write one about Rebound Ace
The other popular tennis filler story I like is about crazy tennis parents. Sharapova’s grunting is the filler specific to a player. Anyway, I hate this story, and am annoyed that Serena got on the bandwagon for it, but here we go:
TRIPLE champion Serena Williams yesterday urged Australian Open organisers to dump Rebound Ace in favour of hardcourt.
Former world No. 1 Williams welcomed the probable replacement of rubberised Rebound Ace as the Open’s surface, a move exclusively reported in the Herald Sun almost two months ago.
Tennis Australia is reviewing all aspects of the 2007 Open, including the performance of the courts.In use at the Open since it replaced grass in 1988, Rebound Ace has come under heavy criticism because of its heat reflection, variation in pace and tackiness in extreme conditions.
Williams, who surged to her third Melbourne Park triumph with a stunning straight-sets triumph against Maria Sharapova eight weeks ago, was excited at the prospect of a new surface.
“That would be awesome,” Williams said after her 6-1 6-4 win against Czech Nicole Vaidisova in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open yesterday.
“I mean, I’m tired of the blisters I get down there (Melbourne). It’s just too much. The Rebound Ace kills your feet. My feet are still suffering from that.
“Every year I go there, I get bad blisters and I’m sore.
“And then I tape my ankles because you always twist them because it’s like playing on rubber.
“I can’t complain because I’ve done pretty well there, but I do well on hard surfaces.
“I wouldn’t be upset at all. It would be a lot easier on everyone, to be honest.”
Herald Sun