This is a guest post by sports historian Richard Naughton, the author of “The Woman behind the Trophy”, a book on the 1920s Australian player Daphne Akhurst.
The name “Daphne Akhurst” is relatively well known because the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup is awarded to the winner of the women’s singles at the Australian Open each year. It is a large and impressive silver trophy and stands alongside the Venus Rosewater Dish – awarded to the Wimbledon winner – in its significance as a grand slam trophy.