New Perth Arena Ready For Hopman Cup Play

Written by: Staff on 26th December 2012

New Perth Arena Ready For Hopman Cup Play

epa00605856 Serbia and Montenegro's Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic during the doubles match of the Hyundai Hopman Cup against Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson and Thomas Johansson in Perth, Monday, 02 January 2006. Serbia and Montenegro won the match 6-2, 6-4. EPA/TONY MCDONOUGH NO ACHIVING AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

The brand new Perth Arena stands ready and waiting for the Hyundai Hopman Cup to begin and with temperatures of 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit) forecast for the first two days of the tournament, the retractable roof of the $Aus 550 million seems certain to be employed under the extreme heat policy.

Top names including world no.1 Novak Djokovic, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and eight times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams are all heading to the traditional Australian curtain raiser, contested by eight teams and beginning on December 29. But after a 24 years history, the event will be played predominantly outdoors for the first time after moving from the Burswood Dome.

And tournament director Steve Ayles is confident the new conditions, exactly the same as players will be confronted with at the Australian Open which begins on January 14, will maintain the event’s popularity amongst the playing fraternity.

“It’s exactly the same surface with all the same characteristics as the court used for the Australian Open,” said Ayles of the Plexicushion surface. “The pace rating, the surface, the balls used are all exactly the same, so from a player’s perspective it’s probably the best preparation they can get in terms of matching that first grand slam of the year.”

Ayles proudly maintains the retractable roof at Perth Arena was another plus for the tournament. It is set to be open throughout the tournament unless there is rain or extreme heat.

“Now we have another reason players will choose this event as a pathway to the Australian Open,” he said. “As well as identical conditions on the court, you have got the retractable roof as well which matches the Rod Laver or Hisense Arena in Melbourne.

“From the players’ perspective it will feel like they are playing in exactly the same conditions. Even the stadium is somewhat similar in the way it is laid out and the signage at Melbourne Park.”

Topics: Hyundai Hopman Cup, new arena, Novak Djokovic, Sports, Tennis, tennis weather news, Venus Williams