The Laver Cup features Team World and Team Europe. The first team to get to 13 points will lift the stunning silver trophy. The primary idea behind the Laver Cup was to honor Australian tennis legend, Rod Laver.
The Laver Cup was possible due to contributions from Roger Federer’s management company, TEAM8, Brazilian businessman and former Davis Cup player Jorge Paulo Lemann.
“Roger gave us this incredible challenge to create something that would honor the legacy of Rod Laver.” – Tony Godsick, President and CEO team 8.
THE LAVER CUP TROPHY
1) The Shape
The Laver Cup trophy’s shape is made such that its outline resembles a rocket. “Rocket” was what Rod Laver was fondly known as. Many believe it was his fast groundstrokes that earned him the name, Rocket. In reality, it was given to him by former Australian tennis legend Harry Hopman.
When Laver came from Rockhampton, his native to Brisbane to play the state championship, he won the tournament aged 13. After that when Laver met Hopman, the latter remarked,
“You’re the Rockhampton Rocket, aren’t you?”
2) Base
Rod Laver is the only player in the history of tennis to have won two calendar year grand slams. On the Laver Cup, this is represented by two groups of four lines (each line representing a slam) encircling the base of the trophy.
3) Two hundred vertical stripes
Rod Laver has won 200 singles career titles. This is shown on the trophy as 200 marks which are small vertical stripes going around the rim of the trophy.
4) Map
The World Map is made on the Laver Cup. This voices the two participating teams: Europe and World.
5) Handles
When the Laver Cup was promoted, it came with a tagline, “Legends unrivaled.” The handles that represent this originate from the base and move upwards in a helical way to their final position where they come together. This portrays that rivals will now become teammates.
6) Tennis and Tradition
It took 400 hours to complete the making of the Laver Cup. The trophy is completely hand crafted and traditional methods were used.
7) Melted permanently
The trophy that was melted down to make the Laver Cup was the United States Professional Tennis Championship cup that Laver won in 1968.
8) Engraved
On the trophy a few lines are engraved that say, “Rod Laver, unmatched in his accomplishments, and respected for his distinguished character. He transformed tennis forever.”
The Laver Cup trophy is truly a state-of-the-art considering the craftsmanship involved. In a time where technology does most of the work, the hand-made Laver Cup trophy is stunning in its own way.
