The Australian Open will have a new surface in 2008. Tournament director Craig Tiley has announced Australian-owned WM Loud will replace Rebound Ace as the new supplier of the surface for the next five years.

The Australian Open will continue to be staged on a cushioned acrylic surface - not a hard court - which preserves its point of difference from the other Grand Slam tournaments.

"The new cushioned acrylic surface will have a different cushioning system to the Rebound Ace product, including a lower rubber content, and will be firmer under foot," Tiley said.

WM Loud's brand of cushioned acrylic court will be laid for Melbourne Park, Albert Reserve and other Australian Open Series events in 2008, with the roll out continuing the following year.

Points of difference include:

* The new surface will retain less heat during days of extreme temperature.

* In the past the courts have been laid using pre-formed rubber mats. The new surface involves applying multiple layers of rubber-filled resin to the base to achieve a consistent result.

* WM Loud has the ability to oversee the entire project from sourcing materials, undertaking civil and surface works and project management.

* The age of the courts necessitated a reconstruction and resurfacing program. WM Loud's technology will ensure a consistent pace and bounce.

"The court characteristics for next year's Australian Open will be very similar to what we achieved in 2007, with the surface playing in the medium to mediumfast range.

"The annual review of the courts had to be more extensive this year because of their age and condition. Once it was established that a major rebuild was required, an exhaustive selection process was undertaken.

"What we are talking about is a major exercise in laying a new, consistent surface across a large number of courts," Tiley explained. "WM Loud is a world class Australian-owned company and they won the contract because they can most efficiently deliver the scope of works required and undertake a roll out nation wide.

"At this stage, a lot of our work has related to the court's base and rubberised layers. The next stage of the process is fine tuning the top coat for Australian conditions. That will involve domestic sample courts and more consultation with players to achieve an optimum result."

WM Loud director Robert Keogh said, "We are very excited to be involved in a world class event and look forward to moving quickly into the next aspect of the construction phase."

Tennis Australia CEO Steve Wood said that today's announcement was an exciting one for the sport. "This announcement comes at a time when the Tennis Australia Board has approved a multi-million dollar Court Rebate Scheme to proactively stimulate court growth around the country."

Australian Open 2008, presented by Kia Motors in association with Garnier and GE Money, will take place at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, from 14-27 January 2008