Rebound Ace is a cushioned tennis hardcourt composed of polyurethane rubber, fiberglass, and other materials on top of an asphalt or reinforced concrete base. It is manufactured by California Products Corporation's Sports Surfaces division.
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Properties
The friction of the surface of Rebound Ace can be varied by adjusting the amount of sand in the top layer thereby customising the ball bounce and general speed of the court. Rebound Ace is sometimes compared with DecoTurf, which is used at the US Open, however Rebound Ace is built with more cushioning.
Australian Open
From 1988 until May 30 2007, Rebound Ace was the official surface of the Australian Open, when it was replaced by Plexicushion.
It was subject to some controversy in recent years when some tennis players argued that it got very sticky with high temperatures, increasing the chances of injuries. However, evidence points to it being no worse than other hard courts. A recent quote by Paul McNamee indicates that investigations found nothing, commenting that "an investigation into injuries at the Australian Open, by the ATP and WTA tours, had laid no blame on Rebound Ace ... the evidence simply wasn't there."
Rebound Ace was also used at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, at Homebush Bay in the Sydney Olympic Park.
In 2013, Rebound Ace was acquired by California Products Corporation of Andover, Massachusetts and incorporated into its Sports Surfaces line of athletic surfacing products.