Aus Open trophy tour served from Bendigo

IT’S almost summer and that means tennis in firmly on the agenda with the Australian Open set to get underway in about three moments.

As part of the lead up to the tournament, the men’s and women’s singles trophies – known as the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup and Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup respectively, are being taken on a tour of regional Victoria and Bendigo is their first stop.

Seven-time grand slam champion John Fitzgerald helped launch the tour last weekend.

“AO on the Road is a wonderful initiative because it creates a tangible connection for people across Victoria to the amazing event that is the Australian Open,” he said.

“Having travelled to many towns as part of AO on the Road myself, I’ve experienced how special it is to be able to bring these magnificent and historic trophies to country Victoria.

“It’s also a great opportunity to showcase our fantastic regional tennis communities and the tremendous work so many are doing to get more people of all ages involved in tennis.”

Other stops on the trophy tour include Gippsland, the Macedon Ranges, Daylesford, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, and along the Murray River.

State Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, said with the Australian Open not far off, the trophy tour was a good way of connecting with the major tournament.

“Victoria is the proud home of the best grand slam in the world and to mark 100 days to go we’re making sure locals get the chance to experience a taste of the event through the trophy tour before we take it to the world stage,” he said.

The location of the trophy tour stop in Bendigo is still being confirmed, check the Australian Open’s website for more details.