US Open Tennis Opens Today: Two Trophies, Two Stories 🎾

US Open starts today in Flushing Meadows. The mens trophy — sterling silver, weighted bowl-on-pedestal form — pairs with the womens trophy in a deliberately distinct silhouette. The non-identical pair tells its own story.

Distinct Silhouettes Honor Distinct Lineages

USTA chose to commission separate trophies with distinct shapes (bowl-on-pedestal for men, urn-with-handles for women) rather than scaled versions of the same form. Each trophy has its own century of history attached. For your mixed-gender tournament, distinct trophy forms read as respect for each lineage. Identical-but-smaller womens trophies often read as afterthought even when not intended that way.

Hard-Court Stadium Lighting Tests Trophy Finish

Arthur Ashe Stadium uses 1500-lux LED lighting for evening matches — significantly brighter than most heritage trophies were designed for. The result: highly polished silver trophies reflect TV cameras into uncomfortable hotspots. USTA addresses this with brushed-finish accents on the trophy body. For your indoor event, asking for selective brushed (rather than mirror-polished) finishing on broad surfaces reduces broadcast glare.