Nadal Feeling Blue About New Madrid Open Clay Courts
World number two-ranked Rafael Nadal has made some complaints to the ATP for allowing a new blue-clay surface at the Madrid Open beginning this weekend in Spain. During a practice session, Nadal had trouble on the new surface, claiming it was soft and slippery. Along with this change, he is also displeased with the placement of new advertising boards on the court.
Nadal, who has been known to criticize the ATP in the past, but felt the ATP should "never have allowed such a change at a tournament of this scale."
‘I love all improvements (but this) is a mistake,: said Nadal of the new blue clay courts. "The players (don’t) win nothing. Tennis doesn’t win nothing. One person wins. Only the owner of the tournament wins.”
Organizers defended the switch to blue-colored clay, saying that players and TV viewers will be able to better follow the path of the ball.
A report by the Technological Institute of Optical Colour and Professional Image (AIDO) analyzed the contrast between static and mobile tennis balls against red and blue clay courts. The findings were evaluated through an analysis of the the way in which the human eye visualizes action, both when present at courtside and at home watching television coverage.
”Hitting on the ‘Smurf clay,’ the bounce is lower and the two courts I practiced on were a bit more slippery than usual,” said 23rd-ranked Canadian Milos Raonic after a practice session on the new colored-court.
