PER PLEXED

After 20 years using the notorious Rebound Ace surface, Melbourne Park will now use 'Australian Open True Blue' Plexicushion for the first time.

Rebound Ace was notorious for an inconsistent bounce as well as getting sticky in the heat - it was also blamed for many an ankle injury too - but will Plexicushion prove any better?

There has already been plenty of debate about the new courts, which have also been used at recent warm-up tournaments in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley says the new courts are quicker, cooler, firmer and more consistent than Rebound Ace.

Faster than Wimbledon's grass, according to Tiley.

But despite Tiley's claims, players who have already tried the courts at Melbourne Park think they are currently slower than the old Rebound Ace surface.

If the Plexicushion courts do speed up - like they are supposed to - a faster surface will benefit the likes of Roger Federer and Andy Murray over Rafael Nadal - anyone in fact who prefers hard courts to clay.

They should aid anyone with an offensive game - although not serve and volleyers as the ball will still sit up, not zipping through and staying low as it does on grass.

That is the theory anyway.