In a remarkable moment for both tennis fans and local history enthusiasts, the Australian Open trophies made a special stop in Morwell as part of the AO on the Road Trophy Tour.

Morwell, VIC, Australia, 12 December 2024 | Nadia Dimattina

The prestigious Norman Brookes Challenge Cup and Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup visited the Morwell Tennis Club as part of the AO on the Road trophy tour.

The visit was not just a celebration of the nation’s premier sporting event, but a tribute to a historical connection that has spanned decades – a connection to one of tennis’s most remarkable figures, Sir Norman Brookes.

“It’s special for Morwell, we have a long history with the Sir Norman Brookes trophy. Sir Norman Brookes opened the original site of the Morwell tennis site back in 1959, so I guess we like to say there is a little slice of Morwell in the Australian Open Men’s trophy,” Vice President of Morwell Tennis Club Glenn Palmer said.

It was a moment that marked a new chapter for the region’s sporting landscape, and Brooke’s involvement left a lasting legacy. As the nation’s first Australian Open champion and celebrated figure in the tennis world, Brookes’ visit was both an honour and an inspiration to the local community.

His legacy lives on today – with his name immortalised in the centre of Morwell, at Sir Norman Brookes Park.

“The park is the original site of the Morwell Tennis Club – it is still named the Sir Norman Brookes Park, the leisure centre is there now but it was the original site of the Morwell Tennis Club,” Palmer said.

AO on the Road brings the excitement of the Australian Open to regional communities across Victoria, giving tennis fans the chance to see and even pose with the magnificent trophies.

Australian tennis champion and former Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald made a special appearance, meeting fans and celebrating the spirit of tennis.

“All the clubs love the trophies, they are kind to me too – they treat me like the king when I arrive, it’s beautiful. It’s good to be with good tennis people because we are all the same and we all love our sport, it’s a game for life,” John Fitzgerald said.

Despite the wet weather, Morwell Tennis Club hosted a fantastic community open day with their junior and senior teams as well as gave life members of the club the opportunity to cherish the occasion.

“It has been great – the excitement it has generated with players and other clubs that are coming to play in the junior club, it’s been really good to get that focus back on tennis,” said David Ing, President of Morwell Tennis Club.

The trophies have already been to Bacchus Marsh, Castlemaine, Mount Beauty, Warrnambool and Red Hill tennis clubs, giving local communities the chance to experience the excitement of the Australian Open.

The tour will conclude at the Inter-Regional Championships in Creswick in early January. From there, the trophies will begin their journey back to Melbourne for the Australian Open.

AO on the Road is delivered by Tennis Australia and Tennis Victoria, with support from the Victorian Government’s Visit Victoria.

For more information about the AO on the Road Trophy Tour, visit AO on the Road.