No player goes to a tournament expecting to leave with a cow. Roger Federer has done so at the Swiss Open Gstaad… twice.
“It was a total surprise,” Federer told SwissInfo in 2003, when he received his first cow from one of his home ATP Tour events. “Now I need to find a garage for a cow, although I have no idea what a cow garage looks like.”
The tournament gifted Federer the cow after the Swiss won his maiden Grand Slam championship at 2003 Wimbledon. He also received a cow in Gstaad in 2013 following a nine-year absence from the tournament, where he made his ATP Tour debut in 1998.
Novak Djokovic won his first ATP Tour title at Amersfoort in 2006. The Serbian is now a 79-time tour-level champion, but the prize he received for that victory was unique. In addition to the winner's prize money, he got an iPod and a flower bouquet.
“I will always remember this tournament in Amersfoort," Djokovic said after accepting the gifts.
Those aren’t the only memorable trophies or gifts players have been given by tournaments. Rafael Nadal won his third Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC title this year and he bit into the silver pear trophy to celebrate.
From 2009 through 2018, the Hamburg European Open champions received a propeller trophy. Gilles Simon beat Nicolas Almagro in a three-set 2011 final to lift the special prize.
One of the most unique championship match experiences on the ATP Tour comes at the ASB Classic in Auckland. Before the match, the haka, a ceremonial challenge dance, is performed in front of both finalists. A Maori warrior later presents the champion with a traditional spear to recognise his accomplishment.
Are you a fan of art? The New York Open gives its champions and finalists a large painting to take home, created by artist Ted Dimond.
The New York Open was previously held in Memphis, which is well-known for its music. The city houses multiple music museums.
The ATP 250 presented its champion with a guitar trophy. Kei Nishikori won four consecutive editions of the tournament from 2013-2016.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2D7kMLu
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