Tennis Australia President Steve Healy "defended the decision to lay a costly purpose-built clay court for the Fed Cup weekend on Pat Rafter Arena, as well as the expensive grasscourt Davis Cup exercise at Kooyong last month, despite the hosts winning just one of eight rubbers across the two failed ties" against the U.S., according to Linda Pearce of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Healy stressed that "the imported Italian clay would not be wasted, but relocated outside at the Queensland Tennis Centre in place of an existing grass court." There "was also the desire to foster continuity for the players" moving from green clay events in the U.S. to the red clay season in Europe that ramps up at WTA level in Stuttgart this week.
Healy said,
"I don't think you can say the decision's wrong because we lost. You give yourself the best chance. But I think there's an additional point, which is that we want all the girls to come back from Europe; it's a pretty big ask in the middle of the clay court swing to put them on a surface other than clay. So I think we're being respectful of what they need in terms of the time of the season, as well." He said that constructing a grasscourt over the existing Plexicushion at Kooyong was also a "significant" but worthy investment. It "is believed to be higher than the cost of clay in Brisbane," reportedly up to A$100,000 ($76,000) (SMH, 4/17).
