Australian Open to get a new surface--finally

The Australian Open always presents unique problems that have to do with the heat. The heat rule is ridiculous, but I suppose tournament officials are waiting for someone to drop dead on the court before they change it. There will be a bit of relief soon, however, when the tournament gets rid of its Rebound Ace courts and replaces them with a cushioned acrylic surface that has less rubber than Rebound Ace. What this means is that the courts will retain less heat, and that is good news, and should result in fewer injuries. The surface will retain its bouncy character, but instead of being made of rubberized mats, it will be made of layers of rubber-filled resin.