SYDNEY, Oct 2: The Australian Open organisers on Tuesday said the high-profile Asian matches would be played on a designated showcourt for the first time and revealed the new courts would be coloured bright blue.

Officials have long promoted the season’s opening major as ‘the grand slam for Asia Pacific’ and they said having a special Asian court would deepen ties with the region.

Under the plan, Melbourne Park’s showcourt three will be designated as the venue for matches of special significance to the Asian region.

“We wanted to allow the Asian communities to get behind their players and broadcast that from a specific location into Asia,” Tennis Australia Chief Executive Steve Wood said. “We need to connect with Asia and so we’re investing in that.”

Tournament Director Craig Tiley said new hi-tech rubberised courts being installed for the 2008 event would be coloured blue, instead of the traditional green.

“The blue court looks better. It will be easier for everyone to see the ball and the vibrancy of the colour just lifts the entire venue,” Tiley said. “It’s fresh and contemporary.”Blue courts are also used at the US Open, the final grand slam of the year.

The new Plexicushion surface is designed to provide a more consistent bounce and cooler court temperatures than the previous Rebound Ace courts, which players said became sticky in the heat and could cause injury.

The playing surface of the court will be dark blue, surrounded by a light blue border.

“The two tones allow the players to hone their range and get a feel for the baseline at the opposite end of the court,” Tiley said. “The general consensus from players is that they prefer two tones. Their depth perception can be confused by a single tone.”

The tournament will be held from Jan 14 to 27.—AFP