• Laykold^®, the official surface of the US Open, is celebrating 100 years of innovation in tennis (1926–2026)
  
  
• Laykold is the world's oldest tennis court surface manufacturer
  
  
• The Mexican Open Acapulco 2026 will be played on Laykold courts
  
  
• Laykold continues its presence across the global tour, leading into the Sunshine Swing

ACAPULCO, Mexico, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating 100 years of inventing and reinventing tennis courts, Laykold continues its centenary year as the official court surface of the Mexican Open Acapulco 2026, taking place 23–28 February at the Arena GNP Seguros in Acapulco.

The Mexican Open is a prestigious ATP 500 Tour event, played on Laykold courts and is one of the cornerstones of the South American Golden Swing. The 2026 tournament features a world-class line-up led by Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton and Casper Ruud.

With Laykold as the surface, the event forms an ideal preparation for the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, where Laykold is also the official surface.

A Century of Hard Court Innovation

The earliest known reference to Laykold as a tennis court surface dates back to 1926. Over the past century, Laykold has played a transformative role in the development, global spread and success of tennis.

Over the last 100 years, generations of legendary players have competed and trained on Laykold surfaces. From Don Budge and Bobby Riggs competing on Laykold in 1935, to Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in the 1980s, and most recently Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 US Open, Laykold has remained at the heart of the professional game.

Transforming Arena GNP Seguros

In preparation for the 2026 event, Laykold has worked intensively with tournament organizers and the Arena GNP Seguros venue team, transforming the facility from a padel configuration into a world-class tennis tournament setting. Laykold's has extensive experience transforming facilities for elite tennis, including the Hard Rock Stadium, Madison Square Garden and Caesars Palace.

Central to Laykold's reputation is pace precision, which is the ability to fine-tune court performance to meet the demands of the professional game. Working closely with the event, Laykold has optimized court pace ratings for 2026, ensuring a surface tailored to elite ATP competition while maintaining consistency and player confidence.

Expanding Across Mexico and Latin America

As part of its centenary year, Laykold continues to expand its presence across Mexico and wider Latin America, reinforcing its position as the preferred hard court surface for professional events.

In addition to the ATP Mexican Open Acapulco, Laykold is the confirmed official surface of:

• República Dominicana Open – Copa Cap Cana (10–15 March 2026), ATP Challenger 175
  
  
• Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel Oppo, Los Cabos, Mexico (27 July – 1 August 2026), ATP 250 event

These events, alongside the US Open, Miami Open, BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Wuhan Open and numerous ATP, WTA and ITF tournaments globally, mark a significant chapter in Laykold's 100-year legacy.

100 Years and counting

By removing the cost, maintenance burden and seasonality associated with grass and clay, Laykold lowered the barrier to entry for players worldwide. This shift helped democratize the sport and accelerate its global expansion.

Now with a century of innovation, the world's largest installation network and the most tournaments, Laykold is known for pace precision, sustainability, advanced force-reduction technology, and industry-leading UV and color stability.

About Laykold

Laykold is the world's oldest tennis court surface manufacturer and a global leader in hard court technology. Celebrating 100 years (1926–2026), Laykold delivers Grand Slam-quality courts trusted by the world's leading tournaments and players. Laykold delivers Grand Slam-quality courts to the US Open and is also the official surface of the Miami Open, BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Abu Dhabi Open, Wuhan Open, Mexican Open, and numerous ATP, WTA and ITF tournaments globally.

Laykold is part of Sport Group, and is manufactured in USA, Australia and Germany.

laykold.com
Laykold Media Zone:
https://www.laykold.com/media-zone

About Sport Group

Sport Group is one of the world's largest businesses dedicated to sports surfaces. The Group manufactures and installs synthetic turf fields, athletic tracks, courts and recreation areas in more than 70 countries. Headquartered in Burgheim, Germany, Sport Group's brand portfolio includes AstroTurf^®, Polytan^®, SYNLawn^®, LigaTurf^®, Poligras^®, Rekortan^®, and Laykold^®.

sportgroup-holding.com

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SOURCE AstroTurf Corporation