Geneva Open Introduces Ice Courts

GENEVA—Saying frost-covered courts heralded a new direction for the sport, officials from the Geneva Open defended Monday their decision to hold a tennis tournament on ice. “The state-of-the-art ice courts at the Tennis Club de Genève will allow for more strategic play as athletes try to avoid slipping and falling while serving, returning, or even just walking to their bench before the match,” grounds manager Sofia Blaser said of the 250-level event, which failed to crown a winner after nearly 100 singles and doubles players were sidelined by injuries suffered during the tournament. “Since we are the only facility in the world currently using this surface, it is only natural that athletes will take some time to adjust to the slippery, below-freezing conditions necessary to maintain the ice,” she continued. “It’s similar to players learning to slide on clay, except in this case they keep sliding until they eventually slam into a fixed part of the stadium, which breaks their momentum. They’re also not used to the way the ice makes the ball wet, heavy, and freezing to the touch, but they will be in time. Ahead of next year, we’ll be doubling our fleet of Zambonis, outfitting the ball kids with spiked shoes, and allowing the players extra time between points to blow-dry the ball.” At press time, Norwegian Casper Ruud was already being hailed as an ice court specialist based solely on his time spent in the Scandinavian tundra. 

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