The year 1988 was the first time ever the Australian Open was played on hard courts.
The event had previously been played on grass courts at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Park before moving to Flinders Park in 1988.
It was renamed to Mebourne Park in 1996.
Since 1988, the year’s first Grand Slam has been played on three types hard court surfaces: green-coloured Rebound Ace up to 2007, blue Plexicushion from 2008 to 2019, and blue GreenSet since 2020.
In the first final in 1988, Swede Mats Wilander beat local hero Pat Cash 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 3-6, 6-1, 8-6.
WATCH highlights of that first hard court final Down Under in the video clip below:
Picture: Mats Wilander – Australian Open/Twitter
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