The Australian Open will introduce a new rubberised tennis surface next year that offers more consistent bounce and cooler court temperatures, organisers said today.

Tournament director Craig Tiley said the new Plexicushion surface had already proved a hit with Lleyton Hewitt, Australia’s top-ranked player and a frequent critic of the existing Rebound Ace courts.

Tiley said the new hi-tech surface supplied by Melbourne firm W M Loud offered a number of advantages over Rebound Ace, which has been used since 1988.

“W M Loud’s technology will ensure a consistent pace and bounce,” he said. “The age of the courts necessitated a reconstruction.” Tiley said the major difference between Plexicushion and Rebound Ace was that the existing court’s acrylic surface was laid over rubber mats, while the new one would be set atop layers of rubberised resin.