California Sports Surfaces® Teams Up with Tennis Pro Michael Russell, Reinforcing Player-First Approach to Surface Innovation
Nov 15, 2025
California Sports Surfaces (CSS), a brand of ICP Group and the leading supplier of premium sports surfacing systems, has announced a new partnership with former Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) player and current elite coach Michael Russell to help bring strong, experienced professional perspective to CSS’s technological development of world-class sports surfaces.
Russell is currently the private coach of World No. 4 professional Taylor Fritz and was voted the 2024 ATP Coach of the Year. During his own playing career, Russell reached a career-high singles rating of ATP World No. 60. He brings invaluable credibility and insight from the professional tennis circuit, enhancing CSS’s player-first approach to delivering high-performance tennis surfaces for professionals worldwide.
Photo credit: 2023 Peter Staples/ATP Tour
“For me, court surface quality is paramount—it’s the foundation for both player safety and peak performance,” said Russell. “Having competed and coached on their premium systems for years, I know they are the industry leader. I look forward to working closely with the CSS team as a brand ambassador to help drive their next generation of innovations.”
“Throughout our history, California Sports Surfaces has prioritized player comfort, performance, and safety,” said Caroline Field, APAC General Manager and Vice President, ICP Group. “Michael’s experience and keen understanding of what athletes need will help guide our continued innovation in surface technology, ensuring players can perform their best at every level.”
Recent innovations from CSS include CoolTop®, designed to reduce acrylic sports court surface temperature via optimal solar reflectivity, helping athletes stay cooler and play longer. Available in a wide range of colors specifically designed to maximize surface heat rejection while offering optimal aesthetics, CoolTop can be deployed wherever professionals play for uncompromising surface speed performance and long-term durability.
Through this new partnership, Russell’s coaching expertise and real-world experience on high-performance surfaces will inform and validate CSS's focus on innovation, consistency, and player well-being.
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Courtesy of Akhia. Top photo credit: Akhia
