Inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in January 2006; Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013.
Daphne Akhurst won five Australian singles and doubles titles and the mixed four times, an achievement that was unsurpassed until 1951 when Nancy Bolton won her sixth Australian title.
Born in Ashfield, NSW, in 1903, Akhurst showed promise as a pianist growing up. She studied at the State Conservatorium of Music and became a music teacher but it is her achievements on court that she is best known for.
In 1925 Akhurst was part of the first Australian women's team to tour Europe. She competed at Wimbledon and made the quarterfinals. In 1928 she would make the semifinals in singles and doubles, and the final of the mixed doubles at The All England Club. During this period, Akhurst enjoyed an unprecedented run of success, winning the women's singles title at the Australian Championships in 1925-1926, 1928 and 1929-1930.
Akhurst died on 9 January 1933 of an ectopic pregnancy at the age of 29. The winner of the Australian Open women's singles final is presented with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
