The stars of the ATP Tour will battle it out for the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup next month.
Every year, the winner of the Australian Open men’s singles tournament receives the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy.
In 2024 and 2025, that was Jannik Sinner, who defeated Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev to clinch his first two titles Down Under.
But who was Norman Brookes, the man after whom the trophy was named?
Norman Brookes won three Grand Slams and six Davis Cup titles
Born in Victoria, Australia, Brookes enjoyed success in Australian football, cricket, and tennis as a youngster.
It was long believed that Brookes played VFL (Now AFL) games for St Kilda in 1898, until 2016, when it was revealed that it was actually his brother, Harold Brookes, who had done so.
Pursuing a career in tennis rather than Australian football, Brookes became the first non-British player to win the Wimbledon title in 1907.
Norman Brookes at Wimbledon in 1907
- 1907 Wimbledon 1R [WIN] vs JE Boyd, 6-0, 6-1, 6-1
- 1907 Wimbledon 2R [WIN] vs Anthony Wilding, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
- 1907 Wimbledon 3R [WIN] vs Arthur Lowe, 6-3, 6-2, 6-0
- 1907 Wimbledon 4R [WIN] vs Karl Behr, 6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 3-6, 6-1
- 1907 Wimbledon QF [WIN] vs Sydney Adams, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3
- 1907 Wimbledon SF [WIN] vs Major Ritchie, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4
- 1907 Wimbledon F [WIN] vs Arthur Gore, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
He won his second Grand Slam title, four years later, at his home Australian Open.
Norman Brookes at the 1911 Australian Open
- 1911 Australian Open 2R [WIN] vs Francis E. Barritt, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
- 1911 Australian Open QF [WIN] vs Rodney Heath, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3
- 1911 Australian Open SF [WIN] vs Robert M. Rolland, 7-5, 6-3, 6-1
- 1911 Australian Open F [WIN] vs Horace Rice, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
And then his third, back at Wimbledon, in 1914.
Norman Brookes at Wimbledon in 1914
- 1914 Wimbledon 2R [WIN] vs LF Davin, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0
- 1914 Wimbledon 3R [WIN] vs Major Ritchie, 6-1, 6-0, 6-1
- 1914 Wimbledon 4R [WIN] vs W Clements, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0
- 1914 Wimbledon QF [WIN] vs Arthur Gore, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2
- 1914 Wimbledon SF [WIN] vs Alfred Beamish, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2
- 1914 Wimbledon F [WIN] vs Otto Froitzheim, 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 4-6, 8-6
- 1914 Wimbledon Challenge Round F [WIN] vs Anthony Wilding, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
He was also an integral member of the Australasian Davis Cup side, winning six titles (1907, 1908, 1911, 1914, 1919).
Upon retirement, Brookes remained involved in the sport and became the first president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia, a post he held for almost 30 years.
He passed away aged 90 in 1968 and was inducted posthumously into the International Tennis Hall of Fame nine years later.
The Australian Open trophy was renamed in his honor, celebrating his achievements, recognizing him as one of the greatest players in Australian tennis history.
Who will win the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in 2026?
There are three clear favorites to win this year’s Australian Open: Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic.
Who will win the 2026 Australian Open?
The former returns as the two-time defending champion, and the latter as the record-10-time champion, while Alcaraz is highly motivated to complete his Career Grand Slam in Melbourne.
Several other players could challenge them, however, including Zverev, Medvedev, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Zverev and Medvedev finished as runners-up in 2025 and 2024, respectively, and Auger-Aliassime finished this season in fine form, threatening to challenge for titles in the new year.
It would also be unfair to discount the American contingent, who, despite not winning a Grand Slam on the men’s side in over 20 years, could finally make the breakthrough in 2026.
Which American man and woman do you think will go furthest at the Australian Open?
Taylor Fritz is a former Grand Slam finalist, and Ben Shelton has shown plenty of promise in Melbourne, reaching the quarterfinals in 2023 and the semifinals in 2025.
Only time will tell who will lift the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in 2026, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
The 2026 Australian Open men’s singles final will take place on Sunday, February 1.
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