Twelve years ago, the Mercedes-Benz Cup pioneered a new look on
court. But these days, it’s following suit.
For most of the past decade, spectators grew accustomed to the
all “Bruin” blue court surface, a trademark of the Los
Angeles Tennis Center that distinguishes it from most hardcourt
facilities.
Last year however, the tournament organizers opted to resurface
the courts a more traditional green to be uniform with the other
events in the US Open Series. This year, it’s keeping in line
again, but there will be another wrinkle in the court color.
All the tournaments in the U.S. Open Series this year have
adopted a look that features blue inside the lines and green on the
outside.
Though it seems like a purely aesthetic move, it may have some
impact for players on the court. The blue surface is partly
designed to make it easier to pick up the bright green ball. The
people who may benefit the most, however, are the fans in the
stands and viewers tuning in on television.
“The color of the hard courts makes little difference when
you are playing on it,” said James Blake, who will face
Nicolas Kiefer in the first round. “The biggest difference is
for the fans, so they can see clearly where the ball lands. The
speed of the game for players becomes second nature, but for the
fans it can be a little harder to pick up.”
With the new look, players, as well as fans, will gain a sense
of familiarity heading into the U.S. Open at the end of August.
“We’re going for a consistent look so when you tune
in, you’re looking at a similar circumstance from one
broadcast to the next,” Mercedes-Benz Cup tournament director
Bob Kramer said. “It guides viewers throughout the summer. We
did a lot of testing and we’ll be doing some
surveys.”
A poll question was up on the tournament’s website a week
before the event asking fans what the color scheme on stadium court
would be. Of those polled, 38 percent responded all
“bruin” blue, while 35 percent correctly guessed blue
on the inner part and green on the outer portion.
On campus, many tennis aficionados are already expressing their
preference for the new look.
“I’m hoping they keep it blue and green after the
tournament is over,” said Mark Otten, captain of the UCLA
club tennis team. “All blue is funny looking, even though
it’s our school color.”