The last week in Vienna was all about the country’s biggest tennis event: the ERSTE Bank Open 2019. Besides the triumphant win of the Austrian superstar Dominic Thiem, once again the trophies came into the limelight.

 

 

For last year’s tournament the Swiss watch manufacturer RADO had the trophy completely redesigned by the Austrian designer Rainer Mutsch, who is known for his highly practical yet playful designs. He attaches great importance to user-friendliness without sacrificing playful elements. This enables him to achieve the full potential of a design piece.

 

 

Of course a trophy has no practical requirements compared to the homeware Rainer usually designs, therefore the playful aspect and the aesthetic component are all the more important.

 

 

For the trophy’s shape, Rainer got inspired by the octagonal handle of a tennis racket which unfolds on the upper side.

 

 

But what we like most about the trophy: In order to strengthen the personal relationship to the venue and the tournament, the winning ball is positioned and fixed as a unique memento in the award after the final.

 

 

This way the ball mirrors on the inside of the trophy to reflect the dynamic character of the game.