World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is thrilled with the new, faster surfaces at Indian Wells, believing they suit her powerful game perfectly.
Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz expressed confusion over the change, admitting he doesn't understand the reasoning behind it.
Indian Wells, traditionally known for its slow, gritty hard courts, has been resurfaced this year by Laykold, the same company responsible for the Miami Open and U.S. Open courts, to create more consistent playing conditions.
"I love them (the courts). They're a little bit faster, which is good for me, right?" Sabalenka told reporters Tuesday.
"It feels good so far. I'll tell you later after my first match. I hope I'll still like it," she added with a smile.
Another big server, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, said she had not noticed a huge change when practicing on them.
"I feel that it's not much faster, but I will say maybe the bounce (is) a little bit lower," said Rybakina, the 2023 champion. "The past few days were very windy, and a lot of sun came, so it's also a bit different, the bounce. But I think the court's still nice."
Although the fast courts are supposed to help bigger servers, they could spell trouble for players like two-time defending champion Alcaraz, who relies more on his creative shot-making than sheer power.
The Spaniard arrived in the Southern California desert late Monday and said he had not had a chance to try out the courts.
"Honestly, it's a change that I didn't understand when I saw it. It was 25 years, the tournament, it was the same court, and then right now has changed. I don't know the reason why they did it," he said.
"I have to practice on it," he added. "I consider myself a player who adapts very well to my game on the surfaces and all the conditions that you're playing on."
Russian Daniil Medvedev, a self-described hard-court specialist who called the Indian Wells courts "a disgrace" two years ago, was unimpressed after practicing on them.
"It's OK, I like Indian Wells, I even like the courts now, but they seem to be almost slower than before, very slow," he said.
First-round action begins Wednesday.
