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Sydney Silversmiths Craft Australian Open Trophies with Enduring Precision

Posted : 12 December 2025

Attention to detail defines the artistry behind one of tennis’ most prestigious tournaments, a fact well understood by Sydney silversmith Paul Smith. Smith is part of the team responsible for crafting the trophy awarded to the women’s singles champion at the Australian Open: the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. While the original cup remains in Australia, an exact replica is produced for the champion to take home.

Smith explained that, despite its seemingly simple design, the trophy is far from easy to make. “It’s quite simple in its design, which means you’ve got to be quite accurate,” he said. “Its simple silhouette means it’s a very elegant trophy. To me, it’s kind of the epitome of a trophy.”

The team at W.J. Sanders, comprising ten dedicated craftsmen, is currently working on 150 trophies for the 2026 Australian Open. This includes the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for the men’s champion, alongside trophies for men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Production begins well before the tournament, with General Manager Darren May emphasizing the pride and craftsmanship involved. “When we get to that final and the players hold up the trophies, we remember the time and effort that went into creating them,” May told Reuters.

Each major trophy is handcrafted from roughly 18 kilograms of silver, with a value exceeding A$860,000 ($573,534). The skills required for such intricate silversmithing are increasingly rare, earning recognition as an “endangered craft” on Britain’s Heritage Crafts Red List.

May stressed the importance of maintaining the human touch in production. “Mass production takes the life out of the object. That human hand cannot be reproduced by a machine,” he said.

Earlier this year, Jannik Sinner lifted the Norman Brookes Trophy while Aryna Sabalenka claimed the Daphne Akhurst Cup. Both champions will return to Melbourne from January 18 to February 1, aiming to add another Australian Open title—and another meticulously crafted W.J. Sanders trophy—to their collections.

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