How the Miami Open is Coloring Tennis in Asia
Laykold Oasis and Biscayne Blue paint a story of tennis growth across the region.
In 2019, Laykold captured the sea, the sky and the sizzle of the Miami Open with brand new court colors that have since become iconic around the world. But Laykold’s Oasis Blue and Biscayne Blue are painting a particularly vibrant picture for tennis in Asia.
We caught up with former professional tennis coach and Head of Laykold Business Development for Asia Pacific, Scott Windus, to find out why the Miami Open colors are leaving their mark on tennis in the region and what impact they are having on the game.
On why the Miami Open colors are such a hit in Asia…
The Miami Open surface colors are so iconic and so ‘Miami’ that people immediately recognise them and they love them. They are not your usual court colors; they are so different and so fresh. Compared to the worn out, dusty and dirty traditional courts we see, the Miami colors have incredible standout. That is why they are making such a splash in this part of the world.
Bengaluru Open 2023, Bangalore, India
Bengaluru Open 2023, Bangalore, India
On the Asian tournaments that have adopted the Miami open colors…
Bangalore, India hosted an ATP Challenger event on brand new Laykold Miami Open courts from 20-26 February 2023 at the KSLTA Stadium. All 7 courts were installed in just 3 days by our highly skilled Indian Laykold installation team at Urban Pave Sport System.
“The venue was only confirmed two months before the event with the December holiday period putting an even tighter squeeze on the already tight production, packing and shipment schedule. Nobody slept, but it was worth it. This year, the event attracted a much higher-ranked field and it became a World Class event for the first time.” - Mr Karthikeyan Rajamani, Owner, Urban Pave Sport System
“Having this quality of court surface – which we were not expecting at an ATP Challenger level, and especially in India - meant that the level of tennis reflected the quality of the ATP tour.”
A few weeks after the Challenger event, the Laykold Miami courts set the stage for the KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open, an IFT World Tour Event hosted at the same venue.
Miami will also come to Morodok Stadium in Cambodia for the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in May 2023. We have completed the install and it looks spectacular!
On mistaking the Bangalore Challenger event for the Miami Open…
When I was in Bangalore for the ATP Challenger event, I turned on Channel Sport 18 - the major Indian Sport channel, which has a colossal viewership across the entire country - and I saw what I thought was the Miami Open being shown. It took me a while to register that it was the Bangalore Challenger event going on right outside my door. The court looked so impressive; in the close ups it could have been the Hard Rock Stadium.
On what having World Class tennis events means to India…
An ATP Challenger event like the one in Bangalore represents the entry level to the big time. It attracts the players on the cusp of breaking into the top 100 in the world and that is a big deal. Having a tournament like this in India is like having a Grand Slam, because despite being a big tennis-playing nation, it just does not have access to many high-profile events like this. Alongside the ATP Tour 250 Tournament in Pune (India), which is also played on Laykold, there are no other big tennis events in the country so they hold huge significance.
Tata Open, Pune, India
On coloring a new pathway for break-through players…
Bringing the Miami Open courts to a Challenger event was also significant for the players. It gave those ranked just outside of the top 100, the opportunity to play on the same courts as the biggest events in tennis. As one of the coaches explained to me, it allowed them to play like they were at the Miami or US Open:
“Having this quality of court surface – which we were not expecting at an ATP Challenger level, and especially in India- meant that the level of tennis reflected the quality of the ATP tour.” – Australian Coach
Not only did the court quality raise the level of tennis at the tournament but it helps the players to transition to the next level. If they have a chance to play on this type of court, it makes it easier to make the leap when they break into the top 100. As the Australian player who won in Bangalore this year explained:
“Because of the responsiveness of the surface I felt I could put the ball anywhere. It let me use the whole court and play how I wanted to.”
The Miami courts enabled a different style of tennis. They brought the big time to the tennis pathway.
On taking Miami to the masses…
The positive impact of the Miami courts isn’t reserved solely for the elite end of the game. It flows down to the grassroots level. India is a provincial-based country when it comes to their sport set-up and the plan is now to take the Miami Open court surface to numerous courts across the region which will be huge for the popularity and growth of the game in those communities.
On why the future of tennis in Asia is Miami Blue…
Two big tournaments have chosen Laykold’s Miami Courts for their event and others will follow. The Miami Open doesn’t have a reputation as the 5th Slam without good reason. It is one of the biggest recurring pop-up events in the world that has continually innovated for the good of the game. Its influence is being felt far and wide, not least in Asia where the iconic blue courts are giving players and fans alike, a taste of the big time. Tournaments and tennis facilities are also seeing the benefit of courts that are built to last. Where Bangalore has had to resurface its courts every year, the Challenger event now has Laykold courts that will retain their World Class performance level for 3-4 years.
