Argentina is ditching its favorite Davis Cup surface: here’s why

For decades, the iconic image of a red clay court, open-air stands, and marathon matches was inseparable from the Davis Cup in Argentina. As the Argentine team takes on Türkiye, marking its return to home soil after more than two and a half years, that tradition will be set aside.

On September 19 and 20, Argentina will play at the Ruca Che stadium in Neuquén on an indoor hard court — a decision driven by sporting needs, but also tied to a broader development strategy for Argentine tennis.

The decision was made by team captain Javier Frana and the players called up for the squad, with calendar timing proving decisive. The tie will be played right after the North American swing, and before the Asian tour, both played on hard courts. Keeping the players on familiar footing avoids the need for transition work.

Frana’s squad enters the series riding strong form on hard courts. Francisco Cerúndolo and Mariano Navone secured notable wins at the US Open, while Thiago Tirante reached the round of 16 in Montreal and the quarterfinals in Cincinnati.

A decision eyeing the future

Argentine Tennis Association (AAT) sports director Eddie Fiumara said Argentina players “aren’t just clay-court specialists” and can perform at a high level “on any surface.” 

He emphasized that the choice of surface aims to look beyond this specific matchup.

“70% of the tour is played on hard courts. The idea is for younger players to become increasingly familiar with these types of courts. We can’t guarantee that every Davis Cup tie will be played on hard courts, but we want to incorporate them gradually,” Fiumara said.

The AAT opted for a medium-speed surface, classified as Category 3 by the ITF, aiming to strike a balance between speed, bounce, and player comfort. The official ITF classification features five levels: slow, medium-slow, medium, medium-fast, and fast.

The court will be installed over the wooden floor at Ruca Che by Spanish manufacturer GreenSet, which builds surfaces for some of the world’s leading tournaments such as the Australian Open, the ATP Finals, and the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna. 

The process is virtually a miniature exercise in sports engineering. 

First, the wooden floor will be protected with a specialized carpet layer. Interlocking wooden panels measuring approximately two meters by one meter will then be laid on top. Next comes a base of acrylic resin mixed with silica sand, followed by multiple coats of acrylic paint. 

Overall, the process requires around six days for drying and fine-tuning, and the setup is expected to be ready for initial practice sessions scheduled for September 15.