Ace Surfaces News And Articles
November 2011
Davis Cup Court Impresses New Zealand Team
The playing surface for this week's Davis Cup tennis tie in New Plymouth has been given the tick of approval by New Zealand team captain James Greenhalgh, writes sports editor Murray Hill of the Taranaki Daily News today. His full story below:
"The surface is great," he [Greenhalgh] said while watching two of his team practise at the TSB Stadium yesterday afternoon ahead of the tie against China starting on Friday.
"It's Rebound Ace - a portable court put together in panels with a surface laid on top of it. The court speed is fantastic," Greenhalgh said.
"The speed is medium to slow pace. It suits all our players and gives us a home advantage. It's got nice bounce. They've done a fantastic job setting up the stadium and everything is on schedule."
Greenhalgh said the four New Zealand players - GD Jones (below, practising on the court yesterday) , Daniel King-Turner, Jose (Rubin) Statham and Adam Thompson - all arrived in New Plymouth on Saturday.
"We had two practice sessions on Sunday and another two today," he said.
"We haven't had a good chance to look around, but the people have been very hospitable. It's nice to be playing a tie at home." New Zealand's past two Davis Cup matches were both away - in Kuwait and Oman in April.
"We beat Kuwait 5-0 in a quarterfinal match and then beat Oman by the same margin in a semifinal," Greenhalgh said.
"If we beat China, we'll progress to group one."
Group one includes Australia, which plays Chile this weekend. If Australia loses and New Zealand wins, the countries will be in the same division, but if Australia wins, it will move up to the world group. Greenhalgh said the four Kiwi team members were the highest ranked men's players in New Zealand.
"Everyone is injury free and these guys are improving all the time. They're playing professionally on the circuit 10 months of the year."He predicted a tight battle with China.
"There's not a lot of difference in the world rankings between the players," Greenhalgh said.
"But it makes a big difference being at home and playing on courts suited to us."
The Chinese team arrives in New Plymouth this afternoon, with a pro-am event at the Rotokare courts later in the day involving the Kiwi players and a number of celebrities, including former All Black Chris Masoe, Olympic equestrian rider Heelan Tompkins, Taranaki Dynamos basketball captain Link Abrams and Taranaki rugby captain Tony Penn.
A tennis ball drop from a helicopter at Rotokare will give youngsters under 14 a chance to win a family pass to the Heineken Open in Auckland plus accommodation.
Former world No 1 and two-time US Open champion Pat Rafter arrives in New Plymouth tomorrow afternoon. The Australian will play an exhibition match with one lucky Taranaki fan on Thursday morning.
A gala dinner will be held at the Plymouth Hotel tomorrow night, with the Davis Cup draw at the New Plymouth District Council on Thursday. The first round of singles will be played on Friday, with the doubles on Saturday and the reverse singles on Sunday.
September 2011
John McEnroe and Serena Williams Dedicate Refurbished Brooklyn Court
The Tennis court at MS 35 was resurfaced by Ace Surfaces to improve the court for heavy use of the school on behalf of NIKE Corp. And it was dedicated by Serena Williams and John McEnroe.
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