Cash praises fairer, faster surface

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DUAL Australian Open finalist Pat Cash has hailed the quickening of Melbourne Park courts, revealing he approached senior tournament officials two years ago pleading for a faster - and fairer - surface.

The 1987 Wimbledon champion says medium-paced Plexicushion will reward all players, encouraging more attacking tennis while still suiting defensive counter-punchers.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Cash said: "Finally, sense prevails at the Australian Open.

"The likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray might not be too happy about the news but it seems the court surfaces at Melbourne Park this year are going to be quicker than they have been for many years and for me that's great.

"Now attacking play will be rewarded, and for me, there will hopefully be a move towards something that's almost become extinct in the modern game; variety.

"Let's not beat about the bush here; tennis is not a sport solely for back-court players.

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"And by that I mean those aforementioned three guys who have cleaned up in 11 of the last 12 grand slam tournaments.

"Sure, one major reason for this statistic is Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have simply been better than the rest but they are by nature all baseline counter-punchers.

"However a major factor in their success has been the conditions, which have by and large just got slower due to the type of surfaces and the balls used perfectly suiting the trio's athletic retrieving style."

Cash contested the last Australian Open final decided at Kooyong against Swede Stefan Edberg in 1987 and the first Australian Open final played at Melbourne Park against another Swede Mats Wilander in '88.

The Victorian serve-volleyer lost both matches in five sets.

But he has always maintained the conditions on Rebound Ace in '88 suited both his net-rushing and Wilander's baseline-hugging style.

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Cash said frustration with conditions in 2012, when Djokovic and Nadal spent a record 5hrs, 53mins disputing the final, prompted his approach to officials.

"Two years ago I went to see Steve Wood, who those days was Tennis Australia's chief executive, and Craig Tiley, the Australian Open tournament director," he said.

"I came straight to the point and told them what they were doing was ridiculous.

"The courts were getting rougher and slower and within ten or so hits of the rackets, the balls were getting severely fluffed up.

"I do not exaggerate when I say they became 10% bigger and therefore significantly slower through the air.

"The entertainment value was suffering because good shots and attacking tactics weren't being rewarded. And I think I know that's what the Aussie tennis public has been brought up wanting to see.

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"Many crave the old days of serve and volley but the minimum is at least some ventures towards the net.

"At long last, advancing forward and looking for the volley potentially appears a winning tactic again.

"At the time Wood and Tiley looked at me as if I was somebody who had just landed from Mars but I must have struck some kind of nerve because this year the surface has been speeded up and the balls they will be using don't fluff up as much."

Despite the slicker conditions, Cash believes Djokovic is still the measuring stick.

"I would be very surprised if Novak Djokovic isn't in contention for the big prize again," Cash said.

"He's won the title three years in a row, he also came out on top in 2008 and it's obvious he is supremely confident as soon as he walks out on Rod Laver Arena.

"Sure he'd probably like things a bit slower but his new coach Boris Becker revealed when things were quick so that little bit of expertise in the camp could be crucial.

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"As for Roger Federer his employment of Stefan Edberg who will surely be working with him on his flailing net play could be a stroke of genius and perfect timing.

"As for Andy Murray? Frankly I can't see him doing very much so soon after getting back on the competitive court after his back surgery.

"Rafa Nadal proved me wrong last year but I have always held the view that for however long a player is sidelined - and in Murray's case it was around three months - it takes the same amount of time to get everything back together."

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