Win Big With The Eastern Tennis Hall Of Fame Trophy

The very essence of a trophy lies in its permanence—a lasting commemoration of a fleeting moment of recognition. But with sustainability ascendant in the sports world, creative force Joe Doucet felt the tradition was ripe for disruption. Tapped to design a trophy to honor inductees into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame, whose members include Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King, for their dedication to the sport and support of the Junior Tennis Foundation, which serves underprivileged children, Doucet’s goal, he says, “was to move beyond the expected and create something symbolic and resonant with today’s values.” He brainstormed a more circular form that rethinks and repositions longevity, starting with his choice of a material that’s infinitely recyclable without degrading: aluminum. The variety he sourced, from Norwegian renewable-energy company Norsk Hydro, is produced at a low-carbon-footprint facility in Utah and incorporates more than 90 percent recycled content.

The trophy’s form is just as thoughtfully conceived. “There are eight layers, and the shape of the negative space evolves from the silhouette of a tennis racquet to a triumphal arch—symbolizing the progression required to achieve greatness,” Doucet explains. To fabricate the CNC-milled piece with an ombré tonality, he enlisted California-based manufacturer Neal Feay. “The gradient,” Doucet adds, “was inspired by the transition from day to dusk on a tennis court—where matches are won through determination.”