The eyes of tennis fans have been cast at Melbourne Park as top names gather to win the prestigious Australian Open title. On the 28th and 29th of January, the Rod Laver Arena will witness the coronation of the women’s and men’s singles champions respectively. With top names like Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal in the mix for the coveted trophies, it will be interesting to see who lifts them. But whom are the singles trophies named after and what is their significance?
Men’s Singles Trophy
The Men’s singles trophy is named after Sir Norman Brookes, or 'The Wizard' as he was known for his excellent play during the start of last century. Brookes won the Australian Open (then Australian Championships) in 1911 and was part of the team that won the Davis Cup on five occasions. He was the first foreign male and first left-hander to win Wimbledon, a feat he accomplished in 1907.
Brookes was known for his all-court game, which was a mixture of solid ground strokes backed up by a well-varied serve. In 2011 he'd return to the All England Club since his first win there seven years earlier. More doubles success followed for Brookes in the United States in 1919 and in Australia in 1924. Following his retirement, Brookes became a renowned tennis administrator.
In 1926 he became the president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia, a position he held until 1955. The Norman Brookes Challenge Cup is named in his honour by the Australian Lawn Tennis association.
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Women’s Singles Trophy
The Women’s singles trophy is named after Daphne Akhurst, who was born in Sydney on 22 April 1903 and is a renowned name in the history of Australian tennis circuit. She achieved much during her tragically short life, winning five Australian singles titles and nine Australian doubles titles between 1924 and 1931.
Making her debut at the tournament in 1924, Akhurst reached the second round where she fell to Esna Boyd. That match saw the dawning of a rivalry that spanned five years until Boyd's retirement in 1928. Akhurst exacted revenge over her adversary the following year, claiming her first Australian Championship title after a nervous start 1-6 8-6 6-4 in the pre-tiebreak era. The New South Welshwoman backed up her win in 1926 with a more straightforward 6-1 6-3 victory, illness partially to blame for her three-set concession of the 1927 final that afforded Boyd her only Australian title.
Today she ranks third on the Australian all-time singles champion list behind Margaret Court and Nancye Wynne Bolton. Married, Akhurst won her last Australian title - the women's doubles with Bickerton - in 1931 as Mrs Roy Cozens. Two years later, in 1933, she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and died aged 29.
