They didn't have as much problem adjusting to the speed of the grass after playing on clay a few weeks earlier. As for your second question, the only answer is that it would make way too much sense. There are too many greedy folks with vested interest in individual tournaments. Thus, the big picture of what would benefit tennis as a whole never gets addressed. The most frustrating aspect of the whole thing is that it wouldn't be that difficult to accomplish from a practical standpoint.
Opens already are the culmination of a series of clay court and hard court events, respectively.
Move the French back a week or two, add a few more grass-court events before Wimbledon, which could move back a week or two, and you've immediately got clay, grass and hard court seasons. Turn the Australian Open, with its retractable roof stadium, into an indoor event. Perhaps you could move it back to its original end of the year date. Sam Pistol Pete was wearing a custom made pair of Sweeps, which I believe Nike doesn't make anymore, until they produced an acceptable pair of shoes for him. He now wears the Nike Air RePete.