United Cup Tournament Director, Stephen Farrow, describes the process of commissioning a bespoke trophy for the new mixed-gender, multi-city tennis tournament.
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The United Cup, a magnificent new hallmarked sterling silver and 24-carat gold-plated trophy. Unveiled at Cottesloe Beach on a beautiful December day in Perth, Western Australia, 10 days out from our inaugural event.
Above: Stephen Farrow walks with the United Cup trophy
Thomas Lyte are Royal Warrant holders and elite sporting trophy makers. As a result, their reputation as one of the world’s leading goldsmiths and silversmiths precedes them. I knew that they were the perfect choice to create a trophy that would embody the spirit of our event.
The United Cup showcases equality at the highest level of tennis. Indeed, the world’s best ATP and WTA players unite and compete side by side across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. They compete for big ranking points, big prize money and – above all – national pride, in a high profile, significant event to launch the tennis season.
Thomas Lyte’s crafting team are best known as world-class designers, makers, and restorers of many of the world’s most iconic trophies. The list includes the Emirates FA Cup, the Laver Cup, and trophies for the WTA Finals, the ATP Finals, the Rugby World Cup, and the Six Nations Championship.
Working with the design team at Thomas Lyte was an absolute pleasure. For instance, they listened to our vision for the trophy and brought it to life with a series of sketches and digital renders. It was truly amazing to see these ideas transformed into a work of art that would be cherished by the winners of the United Cup for years to come. Standing at 50cm tall, the hand-crafted United Cup features 38 sweeping sterling silver rods. Each shaped by hand, and representing each of the mixed doubles partnerships representing their countries.
We wanted something that was instantly iconic, that was very special and unique for the United Cup. Something that the players would instantly value and feel proud to win. As an illustration, the bowl – the focal point of this trophy – is symbolic of a prize made for sharing. We wanted something that really symbolises bringing together the male and female players to play for their country.
The craftsmen at Thomas Lyte were truly masters of their craft. They took the design that we had agreed upon and brought it to life with precision and care. Every stage of the process was carried out with a level of attention to detail that is truly rare in the world today. From cutting, forging and engineering of the raw materials, to the assembly, the final engraving, polishing and finishing. More than 400 craft-hours were required to create this masterpiece!
What impressed me the most about working with Thomas Lyte was the level of customisation that was possible. We were given the choice of a range of materials, including sterling silver and 18-carat gold. What’s more, we were allowed full-flexibility to tweak make crucial branding decisions and change the designs. This made the finished trophy truly unique and special, a beautiful icon, representing our tournament on the global stage.
Communicating with the Thomas Lyte team in London was effortless. We worked closely to make any necessary adjustments along the way and ensure that the finished trophy was everything we had hoped it would be. A statement piece that inspires teams to compete with passion, representing their countries with pride.
Alongside the crafting team at the workshop, Thomas Lyte have an in-house marketing department who assisted us with the activation of the trophy. With much experience in this space, they helped us to document and immortalise both the design and manufacturing process of the United Cup trophy. We were happy to rely on them to co-ordinate videography and photography at their workshops in London. Remarkably, this was done from the other side of the planet to our own content teams.
The trophy arrived to us in perfect condition. Armed with the trophy design narrative and all the details on how it was made that we could have hoped for. A beautiful custom trophy, including white gloves and a polishing cloth. We proudly revealed the new silverware to the press.
In the end, both the finished trophy and its reception amongst the fans, and, critically, the players, was beyond our expectations. It was a true work of art that captured the spirit of the United Cup, the sport of tennis and the hearts of the players who competed for it and the fans supporting them in Australia and around the world.
The trophy was lifted for the first time by an exceptionally strong team USA, who dominated all who opposed them throughout the tournament. A total prize money pool of $15 million was split equally between the ATP and WTA players.
I am proud to have worked with the Thomas Lyte team on this project, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a custom trophy or any other highly bespoke commission in precious metals.
If you would like to commission your own bespoke trophy from Royal Warrant holders and master smiths, Thomas Lyte, click here.
Read about our press mentions and awards for the project
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