Rafael Nadal expresses displeasure with faster courts at Australian Open

Rafael Nadal, returning to the courts at Melbourne Park after missing the 2013 tournament, has expressed his displeasure at the increased court speeds at this year’s Australian Open.

Nadal, speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of his eagerly anticipated first-round clash against local hope Bernard Tomic, said : “The conditions of play are very different from the ones I remembered in this tournament. Many things have changed.”

“I think that the court is faster and so is the ball. So it makes it a different tournament for me. I didn’t remember it like that. It’s a real pity for me. In the first round, I will play against a home favourite [Tomic], who is a great tennis player. And what’s more, he is in great shape because he reached the final in Sydney. So it’s tricky to think beyond this match. I will try to give my best in this first match and if I get through this opening match, I will try to improve my play day after day.”

The court speeds at this year’s Australian Open have generated quite a buzz this year with each of the ‘Big 4′ having different opinions about it.

Federer said : “It’s a little bit faster than last year. But not a whole lot. I don’t know what the big problem is.”

Djokovic said : “For me, the court, Rod Laver Arena, is the same like last year. Last year it was slightly faster comparing to the years before, but no major difference.”

Murray, runner-up at last year’s Australian Open, had an entirely different view on the subject. “Same as last year,” he said without thinking twice when asked about the surface speed. “Exactly the same. Same balls. Same speed. Laver is a little bit faster than Hisense.”

What probably is causing Nadal to think that the conditions have changed drastically is the fact that he missed last year’s tournament when the court speeds were thought of to have increased compared to earlier years. That compounded with a slight increase in this year’s court speeds has probably caused Nadal to think that he will be playing in a completely new setting.

Nadal has been handed a tough draw at the first Grand Slam of 2014 and could face Tomic, Gael Monfils, Kei Nishikori and Juan Martin del Potro before he even gets to the semifinals. Nadal’s outburst, if you can call it that, seems all the more surprising considering he enjoyed a very good run last year during the US hard court season which is believed to provide the fastest conditions on the ATP calendar.

Nadal’s tough draw combined with the doubts he has himself put in his mind over the prevailing conditions should make for some pretty intriguing watching as the World No.1 attempts to put his hands around the Norman Brooks Challenge Cup for the first time since 2009.