The Ultra-Lavish Diamond Games
Racquet Worth $1.3M
The Ultra-Lavish Diamond Games Racquet Worth $1.3M
If your jaw just hit the floor, it’s okay. Mine did, too, when I first heard about this seemingly elusive tennis racquet.
Despite being something you could only dream up in fiction, the diamond-studded racquet is as real as it gets. In this article, I’ll take you behind the story of this famed trophy, including how it came to be, its lavish specs, and who won it.
Why The Racquet Exists
It all began in February 2002, when the first Proximus Diamond Games was held in Antwerp, Belgium, the largest city in a country, which lies roughly east of Germany and North of France.
Belgium, home to two of the WTA’s most prominent players at that time, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, both of which are now retired, was the perfect location for a WTA World Tour stop.
However, the tournament wasn’t necessarily anything out of the ordinary – that is with one exception.
The Diamond Games had one trick up its sleeve and became an officially world-famous tournament due to a distinctive trophy that would be awarded to any female player who could win the singles title three times in five years.
The Trophy’s Specs
The trophy is shaped like a tennis racquet and weighs over eight pounds. However, this racquet is made of gold instead of being made from your typical racquet material, such as graphite. Yes, you read that right.
As if that wasn’t enough, the racquet features more than 1,700 diamonds, including an enlarged tennis ball studded with diamonds and attached to the strings.
This racquet is worth a jaw-dropping $1.3 million, or more than the combined price of 5 Ferrari 450 Italia exotic cars, which would only total a mere $1.14 million.
Not too shabby for a tennis trophy.
Who Won It
So, who was the lucky player to claim the $1.3 million prize?
In February 2007, Amélie Mauresmo, from the neighboring country France, took home the trophy with a tight win over local favorite Kim Clijsters at 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
This match marked not only her third win in 5 years but her third consecutive win at the Diamond Games, well deserved if you ask me.
Almost A Winner
Venus Williams won the tournament the first two years, and in 2005 she went for her third win in five years but was held off by Mauresmo in a three-set battle that ended 4–6, 7–5, 6–4.
In 2006, Venus would have been a favorite to win the trophy. However, she withdrew, citing a wrist injury that needed her attention.
Goodbye Diamond Games
Unfortunately, in 2009, after the retirement of the two Belgium players, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, the tournament was impacted by the restructuring of the WTA tournament schedule.
As a result, the last official tournament was held in February of 2008, where Justine Henin managed to squeak out a victory, dominating Karin Knapp, an Italian player, in straight sets, 6-3,6-3.
However, rather than halt the tournament entirely, the organizers of the Diamond Games decided to hold the tournament as an exhibition match for three years, from 2009-2011. In 2013, the tournament was held as the Kim Clijsters Invitational.
The exhibition event saw one last hoorah in 2015 before being officially replaced by the St. Petersburg tournament in Russia.
5-Point Friday
A brief recap of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about in tennis.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!