Laykold replaced DecoTurf as the US Open’s court-surface brand beginning with the 2020 tournament.
The change ended DecoTurf’s long association with the event. The US Open used Pro DecoTurf from 1978 through 2019, with the cushioned acrylic surface classified by the International Tennis Federation as medium-fast. In March 2020, the USTA selected Laykold after an extensive request-for-proposals process.
Laykold courts are manufactured by Advanced Polymer Technology, part of Sport Group. The 2020 tournament was the first US Open played on the new surface, with 17 Laykold hard courts in use at the National Tennis Center.
A common mix-up is treating Laykold as a court type rather than a brand. Both Laykold and DecoTurf are branded hardcourt systems, while “hard court” describes the broader playing-surface category. Other major brands include GreenSet and Plexicushion, but neither replaced DecoTurf at the US Open.