The minutes before the women's final of the Australian Open are quite a spectacle. Musical performances and a light show to create an atmosphere in the purest Australian style, similar to NFL or NBA shows. The first Grand Slam of the season is a party in the southern summer of Melbourne and the surroundings of the center court, the Rod Laver Arena, are a breeding ground for tennis fans ready to enjoy themselves.
One of the highlights in the run-up to the women's final, in which Sabalenka beat Zheng, came with the entry of the trophy, the Daphne Akhurs Memorial Cup, onto the blue court of the Australian Open in its new luxury transport: a trunk designed exclusively by Louis Vuitton and which joins those made for events such as the FIFA World Cup, the Ballon d'Or or the Copa del América. The new trunk was presented by Australian actor Joel Edgerton (Warrior, The Great Gatsby and Star Wars: Episode II) and legendary tennis player Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
The specially designed trunks for the Australian Open trophies are handcrafted by experienced Louis Vuitton artisans in their historic workshops in Asnières, just outside Paris. The wooden frame is covered in Louis Vuitton's iconic Monogram canvas and finished with a classic lozine leather trim and the same brass corner guards, locks and clasps that have been used on Louis Vuitton trunks since the 1860s. .
In this case, the exterior of both trunks is painted with a striking white Victoria and Vuitton V. Both cases are lined with blue microfiber, which aligns with the tournament's color palette and its signature blue courts, and are finished off with the Australian Open logo (a white AO) on the underside of the lid.
“We are delighted with the stunning custom hand-crafted trunks created for the historic Australian Open trophies,” said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley in the jointly issued note. “Both the Australian Open and Louis Vuitton share a commitment to unparalleled excellence and innovation, while maintaining a great respect for history, tradition and the celebration of legendary achievements and skills.”
“Following the Trophy Trunks created for the Rugby World Cup and Ballon d'Or in 2023, we are proud to announce this new partnership with the first Grand Slam tournament of 2024, demonstrating once again that Victory travels in Louis Vuitton,” says Pietro Beccari, CEO of Louis Vuitton. “For more than 170 years, La Maison has created trunks that embody excellence, creativity and boldness. We share all these values with the most important sporting events in the world.” In this way, the brand extends its tradition in the world of tennis, where it began with the Trophy Trunks created for Roland Garros and the Davis Cup.
In addition, the firm has created personalized travel cases for the most iconic trophies in the world including the FIFA World Cup, the Ballon d'Or, the Rugby World Cup, the NBA Championship Trophy, the Monaco Grand Prix of Formula One, the League of Legends and the Copa América.
